Apple TV has acquired the rights to adapt Rufi Thorpe's 2024 novel 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' into an eight-episode series, starring Elle Fanning as the protagonist Margo Millet. The dramedy follows Margo, a young woman who turns to OnlyFans for support after becoming pregnant by her professor, drawing on her pro-wrestler father's expertise. Produced by A24 and others, the series features a star-studded cast including Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman, with a premiere set for April 15.
The series adaptation of Rufi Thorpe's novel began gaining traction in Hollywood even before its 2024 publication. Elle Fanning, who produces through her company Lewellen Pictures with sister Dakota, read an early manuscript and pitched the project to Thorpe via Zoom, envisioning an 'epic dramedy' faithful to the book's humor and heart. A24 partnered early, sparking a bidding frenzy that culminated in Apple TV securing the rights over competitors like Netflix.
David E. Kelley serves as showrunner, with his production company joining forces alongside Blossom Films. Executive producer Matthew Tinker described the packaging as a 'frenzy,' noting their late entry but quick alignment with the team. The cast includes Fanning as Margo, Pfeiffer as her mother Shyanne—a former Hooters waitress set to marry Greg Kinnear's Kenny—Nick Offerman as wrestler father Jinx, and Kidman in an expanded role as Lace, a former wrestler and custody lawyer.
Other roles feature Michael Angarano as professor Mark and Marcia Gay Harden as his mother, with Thaddea Graham as roommate Susie. Filming occurred on the Universal Studios lot in Los Angeles, creating a family-friendly atmosphere, as Tinker highlighted. The production consulted wrestling experts and built a ring for authentic scenes, with Offerman performing his own stunts.
The premiere episode compresses Margo's affair, pregnancy, and birth into the first hour, setting up her OnlyFans venture as 'Hungy Ghost' to support son Bodhi. Fanning, who narrated the audiobook, voices an opening similar to the novel's: 'The beginning of a novel is like a first date.'
Pfeiffer praised the material's authenticity, saying Shyanne embodies unapologetic living despite judgments. Kelley called it a 'juicy cocktail' of social realism and absurdism, while Fanning emphasized OnlyFans as a 'creative outlet' for Margo's agency. The eight episodes drop weekly after a three-episode debut on April 15, promising complicated family dynamics that feel like 'family members,' per Kelley.
