Warning: This article contains major plot spoilers for Episode 4 of “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” titled “Buddies.”
The world of Apple TV+’s breakout hit Margo’s Got Money Troubles just welcomed a heavy hitter. In the fourth episode of the series, Nicole Kidman makes a roaring, scene-stealing debut as Lace—a brand-new character created specifically for the television adaptation by showrunner David E. Kelley and executive producer Eva Anderson, entirely absent from Rufi Thorpe’s original 2024 novel.
Kidman’s character is a wild, eccentric hybrid: a former professional wrestler who managed to pivot from the squared circle to the courtroom, now operating as a fully licensed lawyer.
The episode unfolds as Jinx (played by Nick Offerman) takes his daughter Margo (Elle Fanning) to a wrestling Fan Expo to give her a firsthand glimpse into his glory days. The nostalgia trip takes an unexpected turn when Jinx crosses paths with Lace, his former peer from the legendary wrestling duo “Leather & Lace.”
The deep, complicated history between the two is cemented earlier in the episode when Jinx is seen watching a vintage tape of himself wrestling the iconic tag team. While her partner “Leather” is now “dead to her,” Lace has undergone a massive personal transformation since her days on the independent circuit, successfully putting herself through law school to build a respectable legal career.
However, the itch for the ring never truly faded. In a burst of nostalgia for the convention fans, Lace and Jinx step through the ropes to put on an impromptu, highly choreographed exhibition match.
Unfortunately for Jinx, the performance gets a bit too real. Lace delivers a devastating, calculated kick that sends him flat on his back, instantly aggravating a severe, decades-old back injury.
Speaking with Deadline, showrunner David E. Kelley admitted he initially worried the absurd, dual-nature of the character might be a tough sell for an Academy Award-winning actress.
“I joked before, but it was only half a joke. I thought, ‘Okay, we’re going to throw this character at her, a lawyer slash wrestler, and Nicole is going to say, ‘Now you’ve taken it too far. I’m not going to do that.’ But she embraced it,” Kelley revealed. “She [said], ‘Okay. Can I jump in the ring and actually wrestle?’ And she was fantastic in it.”
Kelley, renowned for his signature courtroom dramas, praised Kidman’s incredible versatility on set. “She was believable in the ring, and she was believable as a lawyer. So there’s a reason she gets all those job opportunities. She’s pretty good at her craft.”
Executive producer Eva Anderson echoed the sentiment, noting that Kidman’s brief stint on the series completely transformed the atmosphere behind the scenes. “The most fun we had were the days that Nicole was on set,” Anderson recalled. “Because she just brought such crazy, fun energy.”
While Kidman’s physical smackdown leaves Jinx entirely bedridden for the remainder of the episode, the injury serves as a massive narrative catalyst for his relationship with Margo.
Earlier in the episode, Jinx accidentally walked in on Margo and her friend Susie (Thaddea Graham) taking provocative photographs for her burgeoning OnlyFans account—a discovery that left the traditional, protective father deeply unhappy and strained.
However, lying in his recovery bed after trading blows with Lace, Jinx experiences a profound change of heart. He confesses to Margo that attending the expo and stepping back into his old persona helped him finally understand her digital hustle.
The realization strikes a deep chord within the former wrestler, as he tells Margo that whether it’s inside a wrestling ring or behind a paywalled camera screen, “we’re all just putting on a show.” This crucial validation sets up a powerful emotional foundation for the family as they head into the final, high-stakes episodes of the season.
