Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer Star in Apple TV’s Hilarious and Heartfelt Series ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’

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The show is strikingly honest and realistic. It centers on Margo (Elle Fanning), a talented writer whose life is disrupted when she becomes pregnant by her married professor, Mark (Michael Angarano). The series doesn’t gloss over the difficult realities of this situation – it shows the messy, physical, and financial challenges of new motherhood, from painful recovery to mountains of bills. Despite its playful title, the show portrays a truly overwhelming experience.

The new Apple+ series, created by David E. Kelley and based on Rufi Thorpe’s novel, is both heartwarming and hilarious. Elle Fanning delivers a particularly charming and vulnerable performance. Her character, Margo, approaches motherhood with confidence and optimism, even though she doesn’t fully understand why, but knows it’s the right decision. She tells her worried mother, Shyanne (played by Michelle Pfeiffer), “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

The new A24 series, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, premiered three episodes at SXSW 2026 and looks poised to be a big success. Written entirely by Kelley, the show strikes a perfect balance – it’s heartwarming without being overly sentimental, and hopeful without ignoring reality. The characters are unique and memorable, but their individuality always serves the overall story. Like last year’s Dying for Sex, the series tackles challenging themes with sensitivity, allowing viewers to connect with the material and think about it afterwards. Plus, watching Dakota Fanning play a young single mom is genuinely hilarious – she’s like a modern Buster Keaton!

In the first episode, Kelley and director Dearbhla Walsh quickly and effectively introduce the show’s characters and setting. They efficiently establish Margo as a remarkably intelligent and gifted student, with her main weakness being a tendency to trust people too easily. When she submits an essay for her class at Fullerton Community College, her professor playfully questions if she wrote it herself, suggesting it’s either plagiarized or that she’s destined for a university like Harvard.

Okay, so Mark is clearly hitting on Margo, and unfortunately, she falls for it. The film quickly moves past any discussion of abortion once she hears the baby’s heartbeat and sees the ultrasound. Interestingly, Margo’s mom has a similar story from her own past, and while she desperately doesn’t want her daughter to repeat it, she realizes she can’t control Margo’s choices. Shyanne, Margo’s mom, is a bit of a character – lots of makeup, flashy bags – but underneath it all, her love for her daughter is undeniable. Honestly, though, the real strength of Margo’s Got Money Troubles is the incredible connection between Dakota Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer. They’re both playing women who lead with their hearts, and their chemistry is just fantastic – it is the emotional core of the movie.

With the arrival of her baby, Margo feels a strong urge to rebuild her relationship with her father, Jinx (Nick Offerman). Jinx is a former wrestler and is in recovery, and he’s torn between his family in New Jersey – his ex-wife and other children – and Margo and her new baby in California. He decides to move to California, which stirs up old family issues and creates new challenges as everyone adjusts after years of being apart.

Margo is struggling to provide for herself and her child, leading her to explore the controversial platform OnlyFans. The season will follow her as she navigates this new world – potentially including explicit content like ratings and comparisons – all while dealing with her father’s attempt to move in. It’s a dramatic and somewhat contrived situation, but it makes for compelling viewing.

The cast is completed by Greg Kinnear as Kenny, Shyanne’s gentle and unassuming boyfriend, Marcia Gay Harden as Mark’s intimidatingly wealthy mother, and Thaddea Graham as Susie, Margo’s supportive roommate and wrestling enthusiast. Together, they create a quirky yet remarkably realistic group of characters. While some plot points feel a little contrived, the actors bring everything to life convincingly. We quickly become invested in Margo’s journey, both when she succeeds and when she falters. Through her experiences, the show explores the difficult truth of how essential money is to survival.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles screened at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival. It is set to premiere on Apple TV on April 15th.

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2026-03-13 16:19