“Margo’s Got Money Troubles” comes with a pedigree that is astonishing even by the usual standards of prestige TV. The miniseries, which debuts April 15 on Apple TV, stars both an iconic leading lady (Michelle Pfeiffer) and current critics’ darling (Elle Fanning). Based on the bestselling 2024 novel by Rufi Thorpe, it’s produced by Fanning and her sister Dakota, along with Pfeiffer herself and Nicole Kidman, who also appears in a jaw-dropping small role. It’s handled by film-production powerhouse A24, and the showrunner and writer is Pfeiffer’s husband, David E. Kelley, of “Ally McBeal” and “Big Little Lies” fame. (The music is composed by Toronto native Nathan Micay, the talent behind the buzzy “Industry” soundtrack.)
Thankfully, this powerhouse crew sticks the landing: the candy-coloured dramedy is a fun, fresh backdrop for genuinely affecting performances. Fanning plays a college student whose surprise pregnancy results in the titular financial issues, leading her to find creative ways to drum up cash to support her growing family, including posting sexy content on OnlyFans.
Pfeiffer plays her firebrand mom, while Nick Offerman is her estranged professional-wrestler father. The cast is rounded out by other big names, including Greg Kinnear, Laura San Giacomo and Marcia Gay Harden.
Both Pfeiffer and Fanning revelled in the chance to play such unapologetic women, they told the Star. Fanning found the bravery of her stubborn young mother character “quite inspiring,” she said. “She gave me confidence.”
Fanning also credits the production with giving her the opportunity to take big swings, including working with a breast-milk-squirting prosthetic. “It cultivated this freeness and safeness, and I felt like I could be bold,” she said. “That’s because of the writing, but it’s also because of the environment. It’s rare (to) get a character that you can feel that free and outlandish with.”
Pfeiffer, for her part, attempted to make off with her character’s leopard-print boots and flashy raincoat. “Honestly, I think we all could use a little more boldness,” she said.
The actor could tell her outlandish character was really resonating by seeing the crew’s reaction when she walked onto set every day. “Before I even stepped foot, they were all waiting in anticipation to see, ‘Oh, what is Shyanne going to be wearing today?’ And it just made people smile and it made them laugh a little bit, and then it was like, ‘What is going to come out of her mouth?’”
Pfeiffer describes herself as more “on the shy side,” which results in her being drawn to characters that have that boldness to them. “Because I want to be more like that,” she said. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get there, but it’s so fun to actually step into those shoes for a time.”
The show is also unique in its more down-to-earth portrayal of mom life. “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” is unafraid to show the frustrations of child-rearing and give voice to the uncertainty or even anger that can accompany an unexpected pregnancy.
Kelley and Fanning talked a lot about how to create an authentic take on motherhood — and all the attendant messiness. “I leaned on a lot of mothers on set, honestly, for them to tell me how painful everything is,” Fanning said. “I was happy that we had the messiness. What is a perfect mother? We don’t even know what that is, but Margo’s figuring it out herself, so not everything had to be done the exact right way.”
“Don’t all mothers feel like they’re failing?” Pfeiffer added. “It’s been my experience that you do. (You feel) you’re never quite enough, and just as you get them figured out, now they’re into a new phase, and now you have no idea what the hell they’re doing and what they want and what they need — and (this is) a series about that.”
