‘Fargo’ Actor Whose Plot Mimicked Original Coen Brothers’ Film Refused To Watch 1996 Movie For Good Reason
David Rysdahl plays mild-mannered car salesman Wayne Lyon in FX’s acclaimed series Fargo – a character with clear parallels to William H. Macy’s iconic Jerry Lundegaard from the original 1996 Fargo film. But Rysdahl intentionally avoided rewatching the Coen brothers’ classic early on so he could shape Wayne’s gentle persona and backstory with his own interpretations first.
Why Did David Rysdahl Refrain From Studying William H. Macy’s Performance For Fargo?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, as an actor, David Rysdahl knew the hapless suburban father Wayne would inevitably invite comparisons to Macy’s similarly sympathetic character from the revered source material.
“When you play a car salesman whose wife is abducted, of course, you are Jerry Lundegaard in some way. You’re playing in the shadow of that great performance,” Rysdahl explained.
However, he resisted the urge to closely study and potentially mimic William H. Macy’s exact mannerisms for the Netflix series.
As Rysdahl put it: “I didn’t want to watch [the film] too early and eclipse what I was trying to do.”
Instead, he focused on organically developing Wayne’s mild personality and backstory first. Only once Rysdahl felt he had firmly established Wayne’s essence did he finally revisit Fargo to start to steal things as an homage.
What Key Aspects Define Rysdahl’s Take on Wayne Lyon?
In shaping his own gentle suburban father and husband, Rysdahl envisioned Wayne as someone who deliberately chose a different life path from his overbearing mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh).
Wayne displays relentless optimism and avoidance of conflict. “There is a strength to Wayne,” Rysdahl pointed out, even if it’s a less conventional rugged type than Macy’s Jerry.
Rysdahl also made sure to portray genuine affection between Wayne and his wife Dot (Juno Temple). He argued a loving connection made their crime-linked plot more interesting and emotionally impactful.
And despite the chaos unleashed on his family, Wayne’s devotion remains steadfast.
“That pureness comes through,” Rysdahl said of playing confused hospital scenes.
By first developing his own empathetic interpretation of Wayne, Rysdahl could then intentionally mirror touches of Fargo’s tone in subtle homages without losing his character’s distinct essence.
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How Did David Rysdahl Eventually Incorporate Elements of Macy’s Performance?
Once Rysdahl established Wayne’s persona, he finally revisited the 1996 film to take inspiration from Macy’s work for specific moments. Keen fans may catch slight costume choices and quirky mannerisms paying intentional tribute to Jerry Lundegaard.
“In episode seven, you’ll see that I was trying to do the exact same thing that [Macy] did when he was penciling the little circles,” Rysdahl teased.
So while always crafting an original character, Rysdahl ultimately folded in echoes of Fargo’s DNA once Wayne Lyon was already clearly defined in his mind and on screen.
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