William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum celebrate Emmy week

The Associated Press, Thursday, September 15, 2011, 10:43pm (PDT)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum are "Shameless" about their excitement for the Emmy Awards.

The stars of Showtime's "Shameless" celebrated their show, the spirit of the season and their new LA Confidential magazine cover Thursday at a party at The London Hotel.

Macy, who has been nominated for nine Emmys and won twice, said he appreciates the significance of the big ceremony. He is set to present the best drama prize at Sunday's show.

"It's trying and tiring and frightening, but I've been enough times that I can calm down and look around that room, and the people that vote for the Emmys are my peers," he said. "We love to say that it's highly political, (but) it's not very much. If you get nominated for an Emmy, you did something. You did some good work."

Rossum isn't planning to attend Sunday's ceremony, but she's still happy about the Emmy Awards.

"It's celebrating my name and it was just my birthday, so it feels like a whole Emmy extravaganza," said the actress, who turned 25 last week.

Macy, 61, plays an out-of-control alcoholic father of six and Rossum is the responsible, loving daughter who keeps the family together on "Shameless," which earned an Emmy nomination for guest star Joan Cusack.

Macy said playing Frank Gallagher on the show is one of the best jobs in television.

"I read the pilot and I thought I would do anything for this role," he said. "It's outrageous, it's true, it's funny, it's compelling. The show is unique... I feel like we're speaking for a certain disenfranchised segment of our society. It makes me love America. It makes me love human beings. In the dysfunction of the Gallagher family there's a love and a core which moves me to tears."

Actor Elijah Wood spun tunes at the poolside party. Heading into the event, he wasn't quite sure what he was going to play

"I didn't know what this was going to be like, but now seeing it, I don't know, it's going to be kind of music that people can talk over," he said with a laugh. "It'll be cocktail friendly."

Guests at the rooftop soiree could also munch on mini burgers, sample Fendi's new fragrance and bid on silent auction items benefiting the Art of Elysium, a nonprofit group that brings artists and entertainers into hospitals to conduct workshops for sick children.

The Emmy Awards will be presented Sunday at the Nokia Theatre and broadcast on Fox.

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Online:

www.ememys.tv

http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/aoegenesis2011/catalog—items

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AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen can be reached at www.twitter.com/APSandy.