Warning: This article includes minor spoilers for Margo’s Got Money Troubles!
Actor and executive producer Elle Fanning has adapted a bestselling book, creating the most authentic show currently on TV. Although she started out in the shadow of her sister, Elle Fanning has built an incredible career in Hollywood. Fanning has acted in great movies and TV shows, and now she’s executive producing as well.
Her most recent project is one of the most highly anticipated TV shows based on a book. Elle Fanning is playing Margo Millet in Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles. In addition to starring, she is executive producing alongside her costars Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman.
The show explores the titular college dropout and new mother who starts an OnlyFans account to provide for her son. Margo turns to KC and Rose, two other sex workers, for help with growing her audience.
Society is taking steps forward, albeit really slowly, when it comes to sex work. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the media paints sex workers in a terrible light. Luckily, Elle Fanning’s story approaches sex work in a thoughtful and destigmatizing way. What’s more, one casting choice in Margo’s Got Money Troubles makes the show beautifully authentic.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles Cast Actors Who Have Done Sex Work As KC & Rose
The two biggest shows tackling the topic of sex work right now are Euphoria and Margo’s Got Money Trouble. Euphoria’s Chloe Cherry was briefly a porn actress, and her character did sex work. However, the other actors haven’t engaged in sex work. Ultimately, Euphoria season 3 was criticized by sex workers for its damaging portrayal of the industry (via Pedestrian).
On the other hand, Margo’s Got Money Troubles involved sex workers in every step of the process. As mentioned in the ScreenRant interview below, Rufi Thorpe interviewed sex workers on OnlyFans when writing her book. The production team continued this research.
Then, they cast rapper Rico Nasty as KC and actor-director Lindsey Normington as Rose, Margo’s mentors in the OnlyFans world.
Nasty previously worked as an OnlyFans model, and Normington works as a stripper. The two brought an air of authenticity to Margo’s Got Money Troubles. The show has largely received positive responses from OnlyFans creators, but the biggest criticism is the implication that the platform is a last resort (via Elle). Luckily, KC and Rose help balance that out.
Margo turns to sex work to provide for her baby. However, KC and Rose choose the industry, and they love every moment of it. The two characters feel fully fleshed out and complex, rather than harmful caricatures of sex workers. It’s fantastic to see sex work not just as a last resort but as an artistic pursuit and business. Rose and KC ultimately show a more empowering side of the business.
How Lindsey Normington Shaped Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Rufi Thorpe’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles book was pretty good at destigmatizing sex work and presenting OnlyFans in a nuanced way. However, Apple TV’s message is so much more effective. A significant part of this comes down to Lindsey Normington’s influence. The actor began stripping a decade ago to support her dreams of acting and directing, and she loves it.
She told Marie Claire that she brought her own perspectives and experiences to Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and the creative team gave her the space to influence the story. She explained, “I’ve been surrounded by people on [Anora and Margo’s Got Money Troubles] who are down-to-Earth and considerate of my experiences…”
Lindsey Normington helped change some of the wording in the script. She wanted to convey the message that sex work is an art form. She explained, “That was very important for me to get across. That was something we workshopped, and I was very grateful they let me wedge that in there myself.”
In the interview, she also confirms that she was responsible for the line where Rose tells Margo to check her “internalized whorephobia.” Normington wants to break down the hierarchy of sex work. She said:
“[T]here is a scene that deals with [Margo] wanting to separate, “Well, I do this, but I don’t do this.” We see that in every facet of sex work—and we are all just working, trying to survive, and creating. It’s almost impossible not to create hierarchies, but it’s something that we have to fight against because “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Ultimately, Normington brought so much valuable insight to the set of Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and the show’s authenticity really sets it apart from all other shows.
- Release Date
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2026 – 2026-00-00
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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David E. Kelley
- Directors
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Dearbhla Walsh
- Writers
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Rufi Thorpe
