Michelle Pfeiffer doesn’t want to headline movies anymore.
Her declaration came after the actress, 68, starred in two acclaimed ensemble TV shows, Margo’s Got Money Troubles and The Madison. “I never want to star in another movie, I swear to God,” Pfeiffer said at The Hollywood Reporter x Apple TV’s Leading the Narrative: The Women of Apple TV event on Sunday. “I only want to do ensemble pieces. It’s so much more fun. I love it so much.”
Pfeiffer received an Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy nomination for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, which centers on 19-year-old Margo Miller (Elle Fanning) who gets pregnant after an affair with her professor. Pfeiffer plays Shyanne Millet, Margo’s mother and a former Hooter’s waitress.
Before joining the two ensemble shows, Pfeiffer was thrice-nominated for Oscars. She received a Best Supporting Actress nomination in 1988 for the role of Madame de Tourvel in Dangerous Liaisons, and received Best Actress nominations for the role of Susie Diamond in The Fabulous Baker Boys and the role of Lurene Hallett in Love Field.
She explained that she’s grown to prefer ensemble-focused projects—especially women-led TV shows like Margo.
“I’ve just been so bowled over by the female performances on television,” Pfeiffer said. ”Honestly, they’re just really owning TV. I love how complicated and flawed all these characters are.”
She’s also drawn to characters different from herself. Shyanne has loud clothing and louder opinions, while Pfeiffer sees herself as more of a “wallflower.”
“It was so fun to be able to live vicariously through her and to see the looks on the crew’s faces whenever Shyanne would show up to the set. They were just, ‘Oh God, now look what she’s wearing!’ Everybody needs a little Shyanne in their life and in their closet.”
The resilience of Margo and her family is what makes the project so special, Pfeiffer shared. “It really reminds me of that famous Robin Williams quote where he says, ‘Remember that everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, and be kind.’ That kind of, for me, sums up the show and the message of the show, and I’m really proud to be a part of it.”
Apple TV renewed Margo’s Got Money Troubles for Season 2 in May.
Season 2 of The Madison has completed filming.
