Editing Eric McCormack (section)

===''Will & Grace''===
McCormack received his breakthrough role in 1998 when he was cast as [[gay]] lawyer [[Will Truman]] on the [[NBC]] sitcom ''[[Will & Grace]]''. McCormack said that when the part came along, he was convinced he was right for the role. "At the end of the audition, [[Max Mutchnick]], co-creator and executive producer of the show said 'That was perfect. Just to let you know, you never have to be more gay than that.'"<ref name="mclean"/> He explained that when he first read the script, "what hit me immediately was that this was me. I mean, [[sexual orientation]] aside, Will was so much like me. He's a great host, he's relatively funny and he has great friends and he's a good friend to them... the gay issue just wasn't really a big thing."<ref name="Thompson1998">{{cite news|title=He's Gay, She's Not|last=Thompson|first=Kevin|date=September 21, 1998 |work=[[The Palm Beach Post]] |page=1D}}</ref> The show debuted on September 21, 1998, and was watched by almost 8.6&nbsp;million American viewers.<ref name="renamed_from_1998_on_20101220232705">{{cite news|title=Prime-Time Ratings|date=September 30, 1998|work=[[The Orange County Register]]|page=F02}}</ref> ''Will & Grace'' quickly developed a loyal audience, with the show and McCormack receiving strong reviews. John Carman of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' commented that McCormack and costar [[Debra Messing]] (who played Will's best friend [[Grace Adler]]) worked "nicely" together.<ref name="Carman1998">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/1998/09/21/DD39699.DTL|title='Will & Grace' Has Right Stuff To Make a Hit|last=Carman|first=John|date=September 21, 1998|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=April 21, 2009|archive-date=April 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429153926/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/1998/09/21/DD39699.DTL|url-status=live}}</ref> Kay McFadden of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' also praised McCormack, Messing, and the supporting cast as "very funny".<ref name="Mcfadden1998">{{cite news|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19980920/2773049/tv-knows-best|title=TV Knows Best -- Seattle TV Critic Kay Mcfadden Tells You What To Waste Your Time On|last=Mcfadden|first=Kay|date=September 20, 1998|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|access-date=April 21, 2009|archive-date=April 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429084433/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980920&slug=2773049|url-status=live}}</ref> For the performance, he earned four [[Emmy Award]] nominations (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005), one of which resulted in a win (2001), for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.com/award_history_search?person=eric+mccormack&program=start_year=1949&end_year=2010&network=All&web_category=All&winner=All |title=Search results |work=Primetime Emmy Award Database |access-date=January 23, 2011 |archive-date=April 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404094735/http://www.emmys.com/award_history_search?person=eric+mccormack&program=start_year=1949&end_year=2010&network=All&web_category=All&winner=All |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, he received five [[Golden Globe Award]] nominations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/28828|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060521215434/http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/28828|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 21, 2006|title=HFPA&nbsp;— Awards Search|work=[[Golden Globes]]|access-date=August 3, 2009}}</ref>

Also in 1998, McCormack appeared in [[Stephen Herek]]'s comedy film ''[[Holy Man]]''.<ref name="Klady1998">{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117913502?refcatid=31|title=Holy Man&nbsp;— Murphy Takes the 'Holy' High Road|last=Klady|first=Leonard|date=October 12, 1998|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=August 3, 2009|archive-date=June 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629195658/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117913502?refcatid=31|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was critically and financially unsuccessful.<ref name="1998a">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/holy-man|title=Holy Man (1998): Reviews|date=October 9, 1998|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=July 27, 2009|archive-date=October 12, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101012115526/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/holy-man|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="1998b">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=holyman.htm|title=Holy Man (1998)|date=October 9, 1998|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=July 27, 2009|archive-date=August 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090811070116/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=holyman.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The next year he starred in the comedy movie ''[[Free Enterprise (film)|Free Enterprise]]'' (1999), a movie about two filmmakers (McCormack and [[Rafer Weigel]]) obsessed with actor [[William Shatner]] and ''[[Star Trek]]''. Film critic Kevin Thomas of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' wrote that McCormack and Weigel "both make a strong impression".<ref name="Thomas1999">{{cite news|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/cl-movie990603-1,0,1960616.story|title=Free Enterprise|last=Thomas|first=Kevin|date=June 4, 1999|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=July 27, 2009|archive-date=June 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617070510/http://www.calendarlive.com/cl-movie990603-1,0,1960616.story|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2000, McCormack appeared in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] television movie ''[[The Audrey Hepburn Story]]'', portraying actor [[Mel Ferrer]].<ref name="Gallo2000">{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117778846?refCatId=32|title=The Audrey Hepburn Story|last=Gallo|first=Phil|date=March 27, 2000|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=July 30, 2009|archive-date=June 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629195754/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117778846?refCatId=32|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the 2001 [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] season, McCormack briefly portrayed Professor Harold Hill (replacing [[Craig Bierko]]) in the [[Susan Stroman]] revival of ''[[The Music Man]]'' at the [[Neil Simon Theatre]].<ref name="Dominguez2001">{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2001/06/11/2001-06-11_b_way_s__man__of_the_hour__w.html|title=B'Way's 'Man' of the hour 'Will & Grace's' Eric McCormack grabs the Baton in 'Music' Revival|last=Dominguez|first=Robert |date=June 11, 2001|work=[[Daily News (New York)]]|access-date=July 27, 2009}} {{dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> In August 2002, as part of the [[Hollywood Bowl]]'s summer concert series, he reprised the role of Harold Hill for a one-night only appearance in which he and other actors recreated the songs from the production.<ref name="Mitchell2002">{{cite journal|title=Theater Review; River City Slickers; Eric McCormack, Kristin Chenoweth amp up 'Music Man'|first=Sean|last=Mitchell|date=August 6, 2002|journal=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> McCormack hosted the fourth episode of the 28th season of the sketch comedy show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' <!-- (''SNL'') --> on November 2, 2002.<ref name="a">{{cite episode |title=Eric McCormack/Jay-Z|series=Saturday Night Live|network=[[NBC]] |airdate=2002-11-02 |season=[[Saturday Night Live (season 28)|28]] |number=529 |minutes=90-92}}</ref> In 2004, he had a recurring role as Ray Summers on [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]'s comedy drama ''[[Dead Like Me]]''.<ref name="renamed_from_2004_on_20101220232705">{{cite journal|title=McCormack playing 'Dead' this summer|date=June 2, 2004|journal=[[Chicago Tribune]]|publisher=[[Zap2it]]}}</ref> The following year, McCormack starred in the film ''[[The Sisters (2005 film)|The Sisters]]'', based on [[Anton Chekhov]]'s play ''[[Three Sisters (play)|Three Sisters]]''.<ref name="Ebert2006">{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060518/REVIEWS/60509004|title=The Sisters|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=May 19, 2006|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|access-date=July 31, 2009|archive-date=October 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002081117/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060518/REVIEWS/60509004|url-status=dead}}</ref> The film premiered at the 2005 [[Tribeca Film Festival]].<ref name="Scheib2005">{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117927031?refcatid=31|title=The Sisters|last=Scheib|first=Ronnie|date=May 9, 2005|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=July 31, 2009|archive-date=June 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629195822/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117927031?refcatid=31|url-status=live}}</ref>

''Will & Grace''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s eighth season ended with the series finale on May 18, 2006. The finale garnered 18&nbsp;million American viewers,<ref name="renamed_from_2006_on_20101220232705">{{cite news|title='Will & Grace' Helps NBC Stay Tough on Thursday|publisher=Zap2it|url=http://www.zap2it.com/tv/ratings/zap-ratings051806,0,2450059.story|date=May 19, 2006|access-date=March 22, 2008|archive-date=December 15, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215135252/http://www.zap2it.com/tv/ratings/zap-ratings051806,0,2450059.story|url-status=dead}}</ref> making it the most-watched entertainment telecast in six years.<ref name="Kissell2006">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2006/scene/markets-festivals/will-has-its-way-in-finale-1200335888/|title='Will' has its way in finale|last=Kissell|first=Rick|date=May 21, 2006|work=Variety|access-date=May 3, 2009|archive-date=June 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629195957/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117943818?refCatId=1275|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2017, NBC closed a deal for a new, 10-episode season of [[Will & Grace]] during the 2017–18 season. The new show has been branded as a "reboot", or "revival", taking place 11 years after the original series' finale episode, with McCormack reprising his role of Truman. In August 2017 it was extended again to 16 episodes, and a second 13-episode season was ordered.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wagmeister|first=Elizabeth|title='Will & Grace' Revival Picked Up For Another Season|publisher=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/will-and-grace-season-2-renewed-nbc-1202515243/|date=March 17, 2018|access-date=September 22, 2017|archive-date=September 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920210657/http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/will-and-grace-season-2-renewed-nbc-1202515243/|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2018, NBC ordered five more episodes for the revival's second season, bringing the total to 18 episodes, and also renewed the show for an 18-episode third season. Eric McCormack continued his role of Will Truman for all of the announced seasons of the revival.<ref>{{cite news|last=Adreeva|first=Nellie|title='Will & Grace' Revival Renewed For Third Season On NBC|publisher=Deadline|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/will-grace-revival-renewed-season-3-nbc-season-2-expanded-18-episodes-1202339735/|date=March 17, 2018|access-date=March 18, 2018|archive-date=March 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318055435/http://deadline.com/2018/03/will-grace-revival-renewed-season-3-nbc-season-2-expanded-18-episodes-1202339735/|url-status=live}}</ref>