The Tragedy of Macbeth: Frances McDormand reveals how Shakespeare’s play inspired her to become an actor

To say that Frances McDormand has a knack for picking out the crème de la crème of characters in films would not be an understatement. Her portrayal of iron-willed women who aren't ones to go with the flow has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most prolific stars. The Academy Award winning actress will next be seen in Joel Coen’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth.

In conversation with Deadline, the actress revealed how she and the popular Shalespearean tragedy went way back to her school days. Talking of how her seventh grade English teacher had encouraged her class to act out the play for their parents, McDormand reveals that she had chosen to do scenes involving Lady Macbeth and the witches. Recalling it at present she said that she realised that was the moment which had really gotten her interested in being an actor.

She said that she revisited the role only decades after then, in her late fifties. Considering herself fortunate to not bag the role in her younger career, she says that as the role of Lady Macbeth is small, she did not want to do it in a bad production of the play.

She also let in on her newest project about the Shakespearean tragedy with husband and frequent collaborator Joel Coen. Talking about her tragic character, she says that a lot of the sorrow the Lord and Lady Macbeth felt in their lives seem to be as a result of their childlessness; something would have affected the lady more prominently given that it was seen as the duty of women in those times to bear and raise heirs for their husbands. As she could not give her husband a child, Lady Macbeth would have opted for securing him the crown instead, no matter the cost.

ALSO READ: The Tragedy Of Macbeth trailer release: Joel Coen balefully captures misguided king’s ominous end 

The Tragedy Of Macbeth will premiere at the New York Film Festival on September 24, and can be streamed on Apple TV+ in January 2022 after its limited theatrical release in December this year..