William H. Macy, one of the movies' best known faces, has a new permanent role- that of dad. He and wife Felicity Huffman, formerly of Sports Night, became parents of Sophia Grace Macy on Aug. 1 in L.A.
Macy nominated for two Emmys this year, saved Harrison Ford in Air Force One and faced off with Frances McDormand in the Oscar-winning Fargo. But Sofia's "picture-perfect delivery," he says, "was the most dramatic thing I've ever seen in my life." "We are blessed- she's a little angel," he says. Sofia looks more like Macy, "the button nose, huge upper lip, and she has reddish-auburn hair and big, deep-blue eyes.
At 50, Macy is among today's older dads (Huffman is 37). "I think it'll keep me young," he says, "It's less painful than collagen." He sounds as if he'll be protective. He doesn't even want to think about first boyfriends and cars, and he has pals who joke (joke?!) that their diaughters are going into a nunnery. It's because "we know" waht haurs are like he acknowledges.
He has had a good career year, with two independent films, an off-Broadway play and a couple of Microsoft commercials before the SAG strike. Next month: the Emmy Awards and the start of Jurassic Part. Macy doesn't know his exact role because the script is in major rewrite. "Mystery Men (last year) was a big-budget movie, Air Force One was pretty big, but (Jurassic) is probably the biggest thing I've done so far."
One of his Emmy nominations is for A Slight Case of Murder, in which he played a film critic (also with Huffman). He's "so proud of TNT for putting it on- a character-based black comedy on prime time." He figure Jack Lemmon probably will win for Tuesdays With Morrie, "But I've talked to Jack, and if either of us wins, we'll give it to Ving Rhames anyway." (Rhames tried to give his '98 Golden Globe to Lemmon.)
His other nomination is for a guest spot on Sports Night. Macy really gets worked up on the topic of the show's cancelllation by ABC in May after only two seasons. "It was genuinely funny, and it made me cry every single show. I feel so lonely when I see what the networkds choose to keep and to throw away. It makes me feel so out of step with the world." He blames such decisions on the "flyover attitude. The big guys say, 'I don't like it, but those people are smarter as a conglomerate than any of us will ever be on the best day we were born."
He is pumped about Jurassic, directed by Joe Johnston (October Sky, Jumanji). He figures by now they have the dinosaur technology down. "This time it'll be more story-based and the dinosaurs will be astounding." More shooting will be done around L.A. but three weeks will be in Hawaii. Huffman and Sofia will go with him. "Then I'll be back to chase dinosaurs and burb the baby."

The article is accompanied by a small black and white photo of Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy- A new game: William H. Macy and wife Felicity Hufmman shown here on ABC's Sports Night, became parents Aug. 1