Margo’s Financial Struggles: David E. Kelley’s Fun Adaptation of Rufi Thorpe’s Family Comedy Shines at SXSW Opening Night
Austin Audiences Get Sneak Peek of Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles at SXSW
A lively crowd gathered at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas, on Thursday night for the opening of the SXSW festival, eagerly anticipating the premiere of Apple TV’s upcoming family dramedy, Margo’s Got Money Troubles.
The festival treated attendees to a screening of the first three episodes of the series, which adapts Rufi Thorpe’s 2024 novel. The audience responded with laughter throughout the screening, followed by a Q&A featuring David E. Kelley, the show’s creator, along with executive producer Eva Anderson and stars Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Thaddea Graham.
“This is our first opportunity as a group to see it with an audience,” Kelley remarked. “You’re going to see three episodes. One quick disclaimer, you’ll have to see three main titles and three end credits, so just bear with that,” he joked, setting a lighthearted tone for the event.
In Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Fanning portrays Margo, a 20-year-old navigating turmoil after her affair with a college professor (played by Michael Angarano) results in an unexpected pregnancy. With her professor abandoning her, Margo resorts to dropping out of college and creating an OnlyFans account to secure financial stability.
“[Rufi Thorpe] wrote this whole story with these really colorful characters who I think are really lovable but also really messy,” Fanning shared during the post-screening conversation. She emphasized that Margo’s naiveté and optimism during her struggles would resonate with viewers.
Pfeiffer expressed her immediate connection to the character of Shyanne, Margo’s mother. She noted the complex nature of their relationship, describing it as simultaneously warm and fraught with tension.
With a touch of humor, Pfeiffer acknowledged the unique dynamics of working on a project with her husband, Kelley. “He likes you to take all your questions to the director, and I’m fine with that,” she quipped.
Also present at the screening was Dakota Fanning, Elle’s sister, who co-produced the series through their company, Lewellen Pictures. Margo’s Got Money Troubles is produced for Apple TV+ by A24. Kelley serves as both writer and showrunner for the eight-episode series, with executive production contributions from Matthew Tinker, Elle and Dakota Fanning, Brittany Kahan Ward, Nicole Kidman, and Eva Anderson.
The series is set to premiere on Apple TV on April 15, releasing three episodes at launch, followed by weekly drops through May 20.
