Elle Fanning praises ‘whimsical’ tone of new series amid challenging storyline
The actress revealed she grew emotionally attached to her infant co-stars during filming
Elle Fanning has opened up about the unexpected joy she found working with two babies while filming the upcoming Apple TV+ comedy-drama Margo’s Got Money Troubles, saying the experience brought a refreshing sense of spontaneity to the set.
The 28-year-old actress stars as the lead character in the series, which follows a struggling single mother who turns to OnlyFans to support herself and her newborn after becoming pregnant following an affair with her college professor.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Fanning revealed she quickly formed close bonds with the two infants, River and Graham, who shared the role of her onscreen baby, Bodhi.
“We had two babies, River and Graham, who were our Bodhis, and I got so close to them,” she shared.
Fanning explained that the unpredictability of filming with babies added authenticity to many scenes, as the children would often cry, make noises, or fall asleep during takes.
“They would fall asleep on me and cry during the scenes or make noises during the scenes, but it added a spontaneity that I really enjoyed too,” she said. “It kept us on our toes for every scene.”
Despite the heavy themes explored in the series, Fanning said she and the creative team were determined to avoid making the show feel overly bleak.
According to the actress, the goal was to balance real-life struggles with the colourful and whimsical perspective of her character, Margo.
“Our take was, of course, yes, we’re gonna tackle those issues in a real way, but then bring it into Margo’s world, which is actually so colourful and bold and whimsical,” she explained.
Fanning also praised her character’s resilience, noting that Margo repeatedly faces difficult situations but continues to push forward through creativity and determination.
“There’s a naiveness maybe in the beginning to her,” the actress said. “Life is throwing her a lot of curve balls and at every turn she makes the harder decision for herself, but then miraculously is able to bounce back.”
The series has already secured a second-season renewal ahead of its debut.
Meanwhile, Fanning is also preparing for another major project alongside her sister, Dakota Fanning, in the upcoming World War II drama The Nightingale.
The actress admitted she initially wondered whether working so closely with her older sister might feel awkward, but said the collaboration turned out to feel completely natural.
“It was very special and felt like we were right where we were supposed to be,” she said.