I was the last in a long line of interviewers at a recent “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” press day in West Hollywood, but Elle Fanning’s beaming smile still lit up the room and Michelle Pfeiffer looked as regal as ever.
Based on Rufi Thorpe’s acclaimed novel, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” follows a young single mother who turns to an online streaming platform as she struggles to raise her infant and stay financially afloat. What begins as a practical solution gradually becomes a source of confidence, creative expression, and unexpected community. Fanning plays Margo, whose resilience is tested at every turn, while Pfeiffer portrays her mother, whose perspective has been shaped by decades of experience. The dynamic adds another layer to the show’s exploration of independence, family, and survival.
One of the most revealing moments from our conversation came through a surprisingly simple theme: work. Both actresses spoke about earning a living, although their paths into that conversation reflected different generations and circumstances. Their answers were connected by an understanding that financial independence shapes identity as much as it shapes opportunity.
Elle Fanning in ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles.’ Apple TV
For Fanning, preparing to play Margo meant looking beyond the headlines that often define conversations around sex work. The creative team immersed themselves in research, even opening an OnlyFans account for the writers’ room to better understand the platform’s culture and mechanics. That process helped frame Margo’s experience through a deeply personal lens rather than broad assumptions.
“It was interesting because Margo is obviously in a very specific situation. There’s a beauty in finding this outlet and this place where she can make money and stay at home with her child. She also doesn’t go into it thinking, ‘I’m going to find this new creative life.’ Ultimately, she does find a new spark through this outlet, more love for her body, and also community with KC and Rose, these girls who welcome her into the fold and teach her the ways. There’s obviously a broad spectrum to everything, and I looked up OnlyFans and saw the format and all of those things. For us, it’s an uplifting place for Margo at that moment, and it’s the only way she can figure out how to care for her child because that’s where it comes from at the end of the day, just that abundance of love.”
Her description underscores Margo’s emotional journey. The series shows the complicated choices people make when love for a child outweighs everything else.
Michelle Pfeiffer in ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles.’ Apple TV
Pfeiffer’s answer took the discussion in another direction, toward the value of a paycheck earned early in life. She recalled entering the workforce as a teenager and discovering that income carried its own form of freedom. Her perspective comes from experience accumulated over decades, although the lesson remains remarkably current.
“I’ve been working since I was 13, so I learned at a very young age how liberating that was. When I got that first paycheck, I was able to buy my first car, so it’s really in my DNA. I came from meager beginnings, and the work ethic and the meaning of the dollar were instilled in me very, very young. One of the first lessons I learned was to save your money because you get these big paychecks and think, ‘I’ve made it. I’m going to go buy a house,’ and then you don’t work for another year. I got some really good advice early on about not doing that, and I can thank my father and my mother for that.”
That answer naturally led to a brief exchange about parental advice, producing one of the interview’s funniest moments. After I mentioned that listening to parents often pays off, Pfeiffer flashed impeccable comic timing.
“Yeah, and sometimes not,” she laughed, gesturing toward Fanning and referencing their oftentimes tumultuous on-screen relationship.
Michelle Pfeiffer and Elle Fanning in ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles.’ Apple TV
Then Pfeiffer returned to a memory that has clearly stayed with her. Among all the guidance she received growing up, one message from her mother stood apart because it reflected a larger truth about women’s lives.
“My mother never really gave me advice on anything. The one thing she harped on was, ‘Chelle, before you get married, you need to have a career.’ She didn’t have that, and I think she saw that a lot of women get stuck in unhealthy situations because they just don’t have any way to support themselves.”
That sentiment serves as an unexpected bridge between Pfeiffer’s own life and Margo’s fictional journey. One woman recalls a mother’s insistence on economic independence while the other portrays a young mother chasing exactly that, using whatever opportunities she can find.
Perhaps that explains why “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” feels timely. Beneath the conversations around online platforms, public perception, and modern careers is a familiar question that has shaped generations of women: how do you build a life on your own terms when financial security feels just out of reach? The show and its lead stars offer answers that aren’t rooted in judgment, but in empathy.