Michael Angarano gets candid on filming intimate scenes with Elle Fanning

Michael Angarano opened up about the physical demands behind filming intimate scenes with co-star Elle Fanning in their upcoming series Margo’s Got Money Troubles, revealing that the preparation left him surprisingly “sore.”

While speaking with People at the show’s New York City premiere on April 8, Angarano, 38, explained that the production treated sex scenes with structured “stunt rehearsals,” a process he said helped normalize and choreograph the more intimate moments.

“We had rehearsals that were for our sex scenes, but they called it stunt rehearsals, and it was actually kind of fun thinking of it like stunt work,” he said.

Despite the playful framing, the actor admitted the physicality of the sessions took a toll. 

“You’re sore after,” he added, describing the experience as both demanding and unexpectedly bonding with Fanning, 28.

Angarano said working opposite Fanning, a longtime friend, made the dynamic easier to navigate, especially given the complexity of their characters’ relationship on screen.

“It’s such a complicated relationship,” he noted, adding that the series explores flawed, dysfunctional dynamics without judgment.

The Apple TV+ drama, adapted from Rufi Thorpe’s bestselling novel, follows Fanning’s character Margo, a college student who becomes pregnant after an affair with her married English professor, played by Angarano, and is forced to navigate financial instability.

The series also features Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman, with production involvement from Elle Fanning’s sister, Dakota Fanning, who helped guide aspects of the project behind the scenes.

Angarano added that despite the intensity of the subject matter, the collaborative environment helped make the experience creatively rewarding, allowing the cast to explore difficult themes in a grounded, supportive setting.