Michelle Pfeiffer retires from movies, says she’s stepping away for good
After decades of high-profile film roles and pretty much every industry trophy you could want, Michelle Pfeiffer is shifting her sights. She dropped something of a bombshell in a recent chat with The Hollywood Reporter, saying she’s all but finished with starring in films.
The twist? She’s retiring from movies not because of burnout or lack of offers, but because she’s having a much better time in the world of TV ensembles—something she’s only recently sunk her teeth into. Fans of Pfeiffer’s knockout turns might be surprised, but it sounds like she genuinely prefers the collaborative atmosphere that comes with television.
Pfeiffer told The Hollywood Reporter’s roundtable: "I never want to star in another movie, I swear to God. I only want to do ensemble pieces. It's so much more fun, I love it so much."
Her comments came while she was sitting alongside her Margot's Got Money Troubles co-star Elle Fanning, plus cast members Dale Dickey (Widow’s Bay), Karolina Wydra (Pluribus), Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus), and Jessica Williams (Shrinking). No shortage of TV heavyweights in that lot, which probably helped drive home the point about why she’s loving the small screen experience.
Pfeiffer’s move away from films comes after an eye-watering 48-year career with 50 movies under her belt—think Grease 2 for her breakout, and then Scarface, where she truly showed she could out-act just about anyone opposite her. She’s not exactly struggling for recognition in awards circles either: three Oscar nominations (for The Fabulous Baker Boys, Love Field, and Dangerous Liaisons), a string of memorable film turns (including arguably the definitive Catwoman in Batman Returns), plus an acting resurgence lately that’s pulled her back into the TV conversation.
Talking up the state of TV, Pfeiffer said, "I've just been so bowled over by the female performances on television and honestly, they're just really owning TV."
Falling for Television
If you’ve missed her latest, Pfeiffer earned an Emmy nomination as Shyanne Millet in Margot’s Got Money Troubles—the scheming, brash mum to Fanning’s title character. Shyanne’s backstory is a mix of comedy and sadness: she once worked at Hooters and now bounces between superficial glamour and genuine attempts to help her daughter, who’s flat broke and struggling on her own. Pfeiffer’s said this is the sort of role she’s long wanted—rooted, eccentric, and a bit of a livewire, much like herself when she lets her hair down.
She’s quick to credit her female co-stars, calling out the sheer quality of TV acting at the moment, especially among women. Pfeiffer’s no stranger to the format, admittedly: she started out on telly with recurring gigs in Delta House and B.A.D. Cats, but lately, she’s been picking up more substantial parts—Betty Ford in The First Lady and Stacy Clyburn in Taylor Sheridan’s The Madison, among them.
Film Royalty, but Not a Stranger to Hiatus
Of course, she’s known for her breaks almost as much as her performances. Back in 2002, she effectively stepped away from the business to look after her children, only returning five years later with a spate of films—Stardust, Hairspray, and I Could Never Be Your Woman. If you wondered why she went quiet for another stretch after 2013, it’s because she went full family mode again, telling Variety she’d put so many restrictions on when and where she’d work that, in her own words, "I became kind of unhirable." She reappeared for Where Is Kyra?, Mother!, and the much bigger Murder on the Orient Express by 2017. More recently, she’s popped up in the Ant-Man films and last Christmas's comedy Oh. What. Fun.
For now, Pfeiffer’s all-in on her latest TV run. She’s effusive about Margot’s Got Money Troubles and its tangle of loveable, flawed characters, quoting Robin Williams about kindness and everyone fighting unseen battles. The show’s definitely not done yet—Apple TV already renewed it for another go in May.
Pfeiffer said of the show: "I love how complicated and flawed all these characters are. It really reminds me of that famous Robin Williams quote where he says, 'Remember that everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, and be kind.'"