Michelle Pfeiffer is widely known for her fearless performances, yet she doesn’t necessarily view herself as a fearless actor. When asked about the quality of fearlessness, she admits that it is a difficult trait to define. She believes it is more of a natural characteristic, one that’s evident in some actors but not something you can actively aim for. Reflecting on her early career, she shares that she didn’t always feel fearless. “One thing I didn’t like about my work is that I would watch other actors who took all of these risks, and I always felt like I was playing a little safe,” she reveals. In fact, one of her first big roles in the 1983 film Scarface, where she starred opposite Al Pacino, left her feeling quite panicked. “I was really young, and I was working alongside so many seasoned actors. I was terrified every second,” Pfeiffer admits.
However, if you observe her career closely, spanning over 45 years, you would recognize that Pfeiffer has consistently chosen roles that dive deep into the truth of the character rather than seeking out easy, likable portrayals. This has been a hallmark of her work, from her early roles such as the disillusioned Mafia housewife Angela de Marco in Married to the Mob, to her portrayal of the grimly humorous Elvira in Scarface. Even now, she continues to take on complex characters, including two prominent roles she’s portraying almost simultaneously.
In the six-part drama The Madison, Pfeiffer plays Stacy Clyburn, a rich New Yorker grieving the loss of her husband. She finds solace in the mountains of Montana, where the spirit of her late husband, played by Kurt Russell, lingers. In Margo’s Got Money Troubles, an Apple TV production produced by Pfeiffer’s husband David E. Kelley, she takes on the role of Shayanne Millet, a mother who struggles to raise her daughter, Margo (played by Elle Fanning). As Margo enters adulthood and faces her own hardships, Shayanne grapples with the difficulties of trying to protect her child from repeating her own mistakes.
Pfeiffer’s early performances were marked by a lack of awareness of her own power as an actor, a quality that certain great performers possess. Yet, at 67, she feels that there are now roles for women her age that were once unavailable. She was immediately intrigued when her husband gave her the novel Margo’s Got Money Troubles, saying, “There’s a part in here, and everybody thinks you should play it.”
Shayanne is a character Pfeiffer can identify with deeply. She describes her as someone who speaks her mind and wears what she wants, embracing a wardrobe of spike-heeled boots and colorful leather jackets. Shayanne’s background as a Hooters waitress has evolved into a job at Bloomingdale’s in Fullerton, California. Meanwhile, her daughter Margo, a college student and gifted writer, finds herself in a relationship with a professor (Michael Angarano), resulting in a pregnancy. As Margo struggles to make ends meet, she turns to OnlyFans, a secret she tries to keep from her mother. The strained yet loving relationship between mother and daughter is the emotional heart of the series. “I know Fullerton,” says Pfeiffer. “I grew up in Orange County. I know this woman. In some ways, I’ve been longing to play this part.” The authenticity of the characters and their lives, which feel lived in, drew Pfeiffer to the role.
Her portrayal of Shayanne is a mix of comic charm and emotional depth. Despite her engagement to a stable, reliable man (Greg Kinnear), Shayanne enjoys drinking and gambling in ways that contradict her outward persona. At one point, she even distances herself from her grandson, symbolically rejecting the mistakes of her daughter by refusing to embrace the child. This blend of humor and pathos is characteristic of Pfeiffer’s acting style, and it’s this combination that makes her portrayal so engaging.
The joy of Margo’s Got Money Troubles lies in how the characters navigate their life choices and reconcile their past with the present. “Disappointments often lead you down the path you’re supposed to be on,” says Pfeiffer. She appreciates that the characters in the show grapple with who they thought they would become versus who they are and where they find themselves. It’s a theme that resonates with her own journey, as she continues to find fulfillment in portraying complex, multi-faceted characters.
Another of Pfeiffer’s recent roles, in The Madison, sees her portraying Stacy Clyburn, a grieving widow who faces the difficult task of reconnecting with her daughters and helping them navigate their lives. The show explores the challenging terrain of letting children make mistakes and build character, and at times, it’s the grandparents who step in with tough love. Pfeiffer reflects on her own experiences with her grandmother, whom she adored and respected. “Maybe she saw me sassing my mother, and that was her way of defending her daughter from me,” she muses, illustrating how her personal history informs her performances.
Pfeiffer’s remarkable ability to bring deep emotional truth to her characters, whether in comedy or drama, continues to serve her well. Her career is a testament to her longevity and her ability to shift seamlessly between different genres. From her early, raw performances to her more recent, nuanced portrayals, Michelle Pfeiffer remains one of the most versatile and enduring actresses in Hollywood, continuing to challenge herself with roles that reflect the complexities of human experience.
