Fargo is one of the most iconic films of all time in the crime-thriller genre. Showcasing not only has an incredible cast, with actors like Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, and Peter Stormare featuring in the film but also has extremely well-executed with amazingly written characters. This film became extremely critically acclaimed, being nominated for five Academy Awards and winning the same two times, once in the category of Best Writing, as well as
It is quite common for writers of all kinds to feature real-life people in the works they create by creating characters based on them, be it someone they have known their entire lives, a person they are a fan of, or simply someone whose personality they find fascinating. This is what happened in the case of the 1996 classic, as writers and directors of the project, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, based one of the central characters in their film off a real-life person.
Who in Fargo is Based On a Real Person?
The person in question who is based on a real person is Jerry Lundegaard. Portrayed by William H. Macy in the series, Lundergaard possesses quite the personality. Showcased as an extremely incompetent and somewhat dimwitted person, he is, in fact, very cunning and manipulative, using the fact that people underestimate him to his advantage. While he can come off as a little selfish after seen as he is, there is also a much more softer and affectionate side to him that shows up every now and then.
Having such a dynamic personality, it is natural to be curious about who this person is based. It would seem that Lundegaard was, in fact, based on a real-life film critic, Bob Lundegaard. Though now retired, he was incredibly well-known for his work. On top of this, he also had quite a reputation for his personality, being known for being unapologetic when it came to his opinions and having an interesting sense of humor.
Bob Lundegaard Threatened Legal Action After Watching Fargo
The perfect example of Bob Lundegaard’s sense of humor was when he was asked to write a review of Fargo by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. All three of them collectively sat down to watch the film at a screening and Lundegaard had no prior knowledge of the character that was based on him. According to IMDb, after watching the film, he had quite an interesting reaction.
“You’ll be seeing my lawyers in the morning.” said Bob Lundegaard to Ethan Coen and Joel Coen.
Upon finishing the film, however, the film critic found the entire situation quite funny. So much so that, as a joke, he told the Coen brothers that he would be taking legal action after watching the film, telling them that they would be hearing from his lawyer soon.
Source: IMDb
