William H. Macy Answers Every Question We Have About 'Boogie Nights'

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( role call [William H. Macy Answers Every Question We Have About Boogie Nights]( On his visit to a porn set, Burt Reynolds’s disappointing attitude, and making Paul Thomas Anderson laugh — and smell — during that killer shot. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo: New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock William H. Macy assumed he was the victim of a racy prank. After a decade-plus of TV guest spots and supporting film roles, his career-changing moment had arrived in the form of sad-sack Jerry Lundegaard, the struggling car salesman who proved to be an even more inept criminal in Joel and Ethan Coen’s Fargo. Macy had fought for the role, and it paid off with an Oscar nomination. With his stock on the rise, the search for the next meaty gig was underway, and he couldn’t believe the script and character that his representation was suggesting. “I thought I was being punked by my agents,” Macy, a now 14-time Emmy nominee, recalls of reading Paul Thomas Anderson’s modern classic, Boogie Nights. Set in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the second feature from the then-27-year-old filmmaker explored the “golden age” of porn through the eyes of rising star Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg). The naïve youngster experiences the highs of his new fame and lifestyle followed by a string of drug-fueled lows. Macy plays hangdog assistant director Little Bill, a man who is nothing if not dedicated to his craft — unfortunately, his wife doesn’t feel the same way about their marriage. [Read More]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now](for unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps Photo: Casey Durkin/Bravo • The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: [The Ghost of Kathy Hilton’s Future (Season Finale)]( • The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: [Arizona Tea]( • The Kardashians: [High Fashion]( • The Good Fight: [Fili-busted!]( • Abbott Elementary: [Corny Legends]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [I Made Everyone From Don’t Worry Darling Into Sims Just like in the movie, no one is aware they’re in a simulation designed for one person’s sick pleasure — namely, mine.]( [Tár Brilliantly Undoes an Ego Monster of an Artist Cate Blanchett is toweringly great as a famous conductor who meets a very public downfall.]( [Charlie Puth Is ‘So Inspired’ by ‘LGBTQ+ Culture’ Driving through West Hollywood will do that to a person.]( By Justin Curto [An Art-World Scandal (and 6 More Podcasts Worth Checking Out) Death of an Artist, Blowback, and more.]( By Nicholas Quah [Autofiction Writer Annie Ernaux Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature Best known for her memoir The Years.]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( 18-Across, Four Letters: Oft-killed-off actor Bean. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos by Jack Mitchell/Getty Images, Art Streiber/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images, and CBS via Getty Images [Into It With Sam Sanders]( Photo-Illustration: Vulture Is there a way to make true crime ethically? At the very least, can we stop making serial killers hot? [On this week’s Into It](, Sam Sanders chats with Vulture TV critic Jen Chaney about the criticism behind the hit Netflix show Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and the rise of true crime as the latest IP. [Read more from Vulture]( Next week at Union Hall Vulture’s weekly comedy show, Pretty Major, will be hosted by Jay Jurden and feature stand-up by Nataly Aukar, Petey DeAbreu, Arden Myrin, and Asha Ward. [Buy tickets here.]( Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY A Saturday newsletter from the people who make New York Magazine. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe](param=vulture-daily) | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2022, All rights reserved