William H. Macy was spotted taking his eldest daughter Sophia for a ride on the father-daughter duo’s first public appearance since the infamous college bribery scandal that landed wife and mother Felicity Huffman in jail.
The 72-year-old Shameless actor looked lean and athletic as he donned leather chaps over jeans and a helmet to saddle up alongside daughter Sophia, 21, at an equestrian center in Burbank, California last month.
Wearing black leggings and a plaid shirt, Sophia drove with her dad for about 45 minutes.
In 2019, Desperate Housewives star Felicity, 59, was serving 11 days of a 14-day jail sentence after pleading guilty to fraud and conspiracy to pay an admissions counselor $15,000 to falsify Sophia’s SAT results .
In 2020, Sophia — who was then unaware of her mother’s actions — was accepted into Carnegie Mellon University and the school’s acclaimed theater program.
Her younger sister Georgia, 20, also left the scandal behind and enrolled at the prestigious Vassar College in New York.
spotted William H. Macy taking his daughter Sophia, 21, horseback riding in Burbank, California
Wearing black leggings and a plaid shirt, Sophia drove with her dad for about 45 minutes
Macy saddled up with daughter Sophia at an equestrian center in Burbank, California last month
The 72-year-old Shameless actor looked athletic as he donned leather chaps over jeans and a saddle-up helmet
Sophia is the elder daughter of actors Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy (pictured with her younger sister Georgia at the 2019 Golden Globes).
Trying to put the college cheating scandal behind her, Sophia starred in an episode of the second season of Jordan Peele’s anthology series The Twilight Zone
This was the father-daughter duo’s first sighting together since wife and mother Felicity Huffman were jailed for their role in the college admissions scandal
Sophia’s college of choice, the CMU School of Drama, is the oldest drama program in the United States, founded in Pittsburgh in 1914
William was with his wife when admissions counselor Rick Singer explained how he was able to arrange the scam because he “controlled” a testing center. Both Felicity and William agreed to the plan, but he was never charged. The prosecutor does not explain why
Sophia has left the college cheating scandal behind and is starring in an episode of the second season of Jordan Peele’s anthology series The Twilight Zone.
Her IMDB page lists two more credits, including playing a “brunette girl” in the 2017 film The Layover.
Her college of choice, the CMU School of Drama, is the oldest drama program in the United States, founded in Pittsburgh in 1914.
The renowned institution counts among its famous former Broadway stars Leslie Odom Jr. and Renee Elise Goldsberry of Hamilton, Josh Gad, Ethan Hawke, Ted Danson and Oscar-nominated director Rob Marshall.
Her actor parents have rarely been out in public since the scandal.
last saw the couple, who has been married since 1997, strolling in Los Angeles in February with Felicity’s arm around her husband’s shoulders.
William and Felicity have rarely been seen in public since the scandal. last saw the couple, who has been married since 1997, strolling in Los Angeles in February with Felicity’s arm around her husband’s shoulders
In May 2019, Felicity pleaded guilty to paying an admissions counselor $15,000 to allow an inspector to correct Sophia’s answers on the SAT
Felicity, who has been in prison for less than two weeks, is seen taking Sophia for community service in Los Angeles in February 2020
Sophia (seen graduating from high school) boasted in 2020 that she will be part of the CMU School of Drama’s graduating class of 2024
Felicity admitted to paying $15,000 to admissions officer William Singer through his nonprofit Key Worldwide Foundation.
The money went to a supervisor to correct wrong answers on Sophia’s SATs. Authorities said the nonprofit was set up as a front to accept bribes.
In addition to the prison sentence, Felicity received 250 hours of community service, a $30,000 fine and a year’s probation.
The Emmy-winning actress tearfully admitted at her sentencing, “I was scared. I was stupid and I was so wrong.
Felicity and William took their daughters to the 2014 premiere of Rudderless, his directorial debut
“I broke the rule. I admitted that and pleaded guilty to this crime. There are no excuses or justifications for my actions.
“I can promise you that in the coming months and years I will try to live a more honest life, be a better role model for my daughters and my family, and continue to give my time and energy wherever it’s needed.”
She said she “betrayed” her then 18-year-old daughter Sophia, who was unaware of her plan.
“This transgression towards her and the public I will carry with me for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is not an excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty,” she said.
In a letter asking the court for leniency, the actress said she got involved with the program after her daughter’s dreams of going to college and pursuing an acting career were jeopardized by her low math scores.
Sophia was kept in the dark about her mother’s actions and confronted her after news of the FBI’s full-scale operation Varsity Blues broke, saying, “Why didn’t you believe in me?” Felicity wrote in her letter.
Federal authorities said that her mother’s intrigues pushed Sophia up 400 points from her previous score on the PSAT, a practice version of the SAT.
Prosecutors have not said which colleges her daughter applied to with the fraudulent SAT score.
Others charged in the college admissions scandal include Fuller House star Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli.
According to investigators, Felicity’s husband was with her when admissions consultant Rick Singer explained how he was able to arrange the scam.
Both Felicity and William agreed to the plan, but he was never charged. Prosecutors never explained why.
Others charged in the college admissions scandal include Fuller House star Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli, who have been accused of offering Singer $500,000 in bribes to allow their two daughters to be recruits on the crew team at the University of Southern California.