As the complex protagonist of TV’s global hit series The Good Wife, JULIANNA MARGULIES lives a life of lies, deceit and dirty politics. She tells HANNA HANRA why she’s never had more fun.
When Julianna Margulies enters the downtown New York restaurant where we’ve agreed to meet, the atmosphere changes. Weaving her way across the room, her perfectly arched brows and no-nonsense manner are instantly familiar to our fellow diners from her days as Carol Hathaway – the candid, curly-haired nurse who gave George Clooney a run for his money during six seasons of ER.
Then, six years ago, we were introduced to Alicia Florrick, Margulies’ character in The Good Wife. We have watched as Alicia’s whole world has slowly turned on its head: her State’s Attorney husband, played by Chris Noth, is busted for sleeping with prostitutes. Alicia stands by his side and, after 13 years as a stay-at- home mom, returns to work at a law firm. We have witnessed her climb the corporate ladder, growing comfortable with corruption on the way, to become State’s Attorney herself. This character has mesmerized audiences – nine million viewers tuned in for the Season 6 finale.
“Women love Alicia,” says Margulies with a laugh, finishing a cappuccino before swiftly ordering a glass of wine, because, she says permissively, it is after five. “She was an underdog. She was in a sink-or-swim situation, and she swam. People love a flawed character they can relate to.”
Alicia is certainly flawed. She cheats on her unfaithful husband, but knows her marriage to the eventual Governor of Illinois is too valuable an asset to dump. She is indecisive and more selfish than she realizes. “Oh, she’s messed up!” says Margulies. “I tell the writers, ‘Seriously, she needs to be in therapy. She hasn’t gotten laid for a year and a half, the situation at home with her husband is so complicated, her children are leaving the nest, she has her own business and she’s completely overwhelmed.’ And the writers are always like, ‘Well, she’ll work it out!’ To be honest, when would she have time to see a shrink anyway?”
Alicia might be a total mess, but Margulies is not. Born in New York, she grew up between the US, England and France, and went on to graduate from New York’s Sarah Lawrence College. Despite having been in the industry for nearly 25 years, she has followed a rather quiet path to stardom – head down, no scandals, no Twitter account. “I’m [not going to] ask 20 million people to believe my character, then go to a mall and tweet, ‘Hey, it’s me! I’m buying shoes!’” she says. “However, if I was just doing my philanthropic work, I would definitely tweet; it’s a great tool to open people’s eyes.”
Philanthropy is important to Margulies. She recently campaigned for marriage equality, and is a supporter of various other social initiatives, including the ALS Project. “There is a generation coming up that understands equal rights,” she says. “People fight for what they believe in – equal pay, gay rights, all of these things that should have happened years ago. [But] we have a long way to go.”
Margulies’ most recent campaign has been towards the passing of Erin’s Law in all 50 US states – a bill named after Erin Merryn, an American woman who suffered sexual abuse as a child but was too ashamed to tell anyone. Already passed in over 20 states, the bill will ensure children have a voice to report abuse, and demands that schools educate children about prevention. Recognizing her work with Erin’s Law, Time magazine included Margulies in its 100 Most Influential People in the World list, just before she received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I feel honored to be among such amazing people [on Time’s list], and the spotlight it shone on Erin’s Law made it all the sweeter,” she smiles. “As for the Hollywood Star… It still feels surreal. I always thought of it as something other people got; never in a million years did I think I would get one. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to do what I love and get paid for it. The rest is a bit overwhelming! Flattering, but overwhelming.”
Supporting Erin’s Law is one of numerous junctions where the legal world intersects Margulies’ personal and fictional lives. Her husband is also a lawyer, and the pair, who live in New York’s SoHo, have a seven-year-old son, Kieran. Does she have designs on a political career herself? “I would never and could never be a politician,” she says. “But God, it’s fun to play one. I have to say things that I personally disagree with, but you have to look at things from two sides. I’ll get emotional at the snap of a finger, but my husband will read the other argument. He’s very graceful at having an opinion, rather than having a gut reaction.”
Margulies gives off the air of being a great friend in times of crisis – she’d buy you a drink, have a laugh, make it ok. Her sentences are peppered with husky chuckles; she speaks slowly, with purpose. “I never think of myself as a famous person. I think of myself as a working actor who happens to be in a show that everyone watches.”
Does she ever succumb to believing what people say about her? “I can’t control other people’s opinions of me, all I can control is my reaction to it. Someone in Idaho may hate me, but I don’t have to know about it!” As with any hit show, there’s a cult following online. “I don’t read any of it – ‘Did I wear the right dress, did I not?’ – because it’s not going to help me as a human. It will only make me feel bad…or good. And if I believe the good, do I believe the bad?”
It’s easy to understand why this measured, soul-searching woman is so convincing as Alicia – housewife, lawyer and now State’s Attorney – for which she has received six Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy awards. The Good Wife was also recognized by respected theater organization The Drama League, which gave the show an Arts Ally Award for its support of the Broadway community. “We get amazing Broadway stars, so every day is lots of fun,” says Margulies.
The Good Wife is part of the new Golden Age of TV. Storylines don’t resolve themselves in one episode – fans stay at home binge-watching series after series – and there is a broader acceptance of both female leads and leads of varying race and sexual orientation. Movie stars have switched from the silver screen to carrying their own shows on Netflix. “Women are realizing that the most challenging and interesting things written for them are now on TV,” says Margulies. “Until five years ago, TV catered to male leads. I wouldn’t say it’s equal, but it’s getting there.”
Last year, actor Hugh Laurie inadvertently saved a man’s life: a German doctor diagnosed a patient’s rare and life-threatening condition after recognizing his symptoms from an episode of House M.D. After six years in her role as Alicia Florrick, has Margulies amassed enough legal know-how to offer me counsel, if need be? She tips her head back and laughs loudly over her wine glass. “Honestly? No. Except, get a lawyer. And get a good one!”
The Good Wife Season 7 airs Oct 4
She reminds me of VB and Famke Janssen in these pics.
. Love the hair as well.
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