William Joseph McCormack Jr. (born January 13, 1974) is an American actor, executive producer, screenwriter, and film director. He is best known for his short film If Anything Happens I Love You (2020), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
McCormack is also known for writing the screenplay for Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012) and the story for Toy Story 4 (2019), the former of which earned him nominations for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay and the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Screenplay, Adapted or Original. He appeared in the television series The Sopranos (1999–2001), Brothers & Sisters (2008–2009), and In Plain Sight (2008–2012), as well as the films American Outlaws (2001), Syriana (2005), and A Wrinkle in Time (2018). He won a Lucille Lortel Award for his role in the off-Broadway one-act play The Long Christmas Ride Home (2003).
Early life and education McCormack was born on January 13, 1974, in Plainfield, New Jersey, to William Sr. and Norah Magdalene (née Ross; 1942–2024) McCormack. He has two older sisters, Mary, an actress, and Bridget, a Michigan Supreme Court Justice and former University of Michigan law professor. He graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.Catlin, Roger. "Behind The Scenes Success Story; Trinity College Alum McCormack Makes His Own Work As Writer And Producer", Hartford Courant, October 19, 2014. Accessed March 17, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "When Will McCormack was attending Trinity College in the mid-1990s as a performing arts minor, 'I was in every play I could be in there.' A role model for the Plainfield, N. J., native was his older sister, Mary McCormack, a Trinity grad, who was by then starting her movie career that would bring her to starring roles in The West Wing and In Plain Sight."
Career McCormack's key television roles include Jason La Penna on The Sopranos (1999–2001). More recently, he played the role of Leo Spiller, brother of lead character Lucy Spiller (Courteney Cox), in the FX series Dirt. He also played a recurring role as the FBI agent in the television drama In Plain Sight, which stars his older sister, Mary.
In 1996, McCormack appeared on Broadway at the Criterion Center Stage Right as a member of the ensemble in a revival of the drama play Summer and Smoke (1948) by Tennessee Williams, produced by The Roundabout Theatre Company. He has also appeared in two Off-Broadway theatre productions, Chinese Friends and The Long Christmas Ride Home. McCormack and Rashida Jones worked on the script of Toy Story 4. They ultimately withdrew from the project in November 2017 and received "story by" credit.
Personal life As of 2018, he is engaged to actress Emily Arlook.
Filmography
Film and television Year Title Role Notes 1999–2001 The Sopranos Jason La Penna Television series 2000 Boiler Room Mike 2001 American Outlaws Bob Younger 2002 Abandon August 2002 A Midsummer Night's Rave Greg 2002 The Shield Steve Hanratty Television series 2005 Prime Palmer 2005 Must Love Dogs Jason 2005 Syriana Willy 2006 Right at Your Door Jason 2006 CSI: NY Todd Miller Television series 2007–2008 Dirt Leo Spiller Television series 2008 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Langston Weller Television series 2008–2009 Brothers & Sisters Ethan Tavis Television series 2008–2012 In Plain Sight Robert O'Conner Television series 2011 Paul the Male Matchmaker Harry Television series 2011 Alphas Marcus Ayers Television series 2012 Celeste and Jesse Forever Skillz Also credited as co-screenwriter 2012 Mob City Gunman Television series 2013 The Office Wolf Television series 2014 Among Ravens Chad Whitlock 2018 A Wrinkle in Time Mr. Teacher 2019 Toy Story 4 story credits with Andrew Stanton, John Lasseter, Josh Cooley, Valerie LaPointe, Rashida Jones, Martin Hynes, Stephany Folsom 2020 If Anything Happens I Love You Director and writer 2024 A Swim Lesson Director Documentary Short film 2026 The Invite Co-writer
Stage work Year Title Genre Role Theatre Location Notes 1996 Summer and Smoke drama Ensemble (member) Criterion Center Stage Right New York City, New York Broadway revival by The Roundabout Theatre Company 2003 The Long Christmas Ride Home drama Stephen Vineyard Theatre New York City, New York Off-Broadway; recipient, 2004 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Featured Actor 2004 Chinese Friends Stephan Playwrights Horizons New York City, New York Off-Broadway
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2013 13th Black Reel Awards Best Screenplay, Adapted or Original Celeste and Jesse Forever 28th Independent Spirit Awards Best First Screenplay 2021 Academy Awards Best Animated Short If Anything Happens I Love You
See also Lists of American writers References
External links