Before stepping into Taylor Sheridan’s The Madison, Michelle Pfeiffer wanted a second opinion from someone who had already lived in it and that someone happened to be Helen Mirren.
Pfeiffer is leading The Madison, Sheridan’s latest drama that explores a family as they grieve the loss of their patriarch and move to a small town. The actress spoke to The Wrap about reaching out to Mirren before committing to the project, who starred in Sheridan’s 1923.
Speaking to the outlet, Pfeiffer said,
“I reached out to Helen Mirren, not because I know her, but because I figured maybe I could get to her through certain people. I thought she’ll have a good idea and be really truthful with me about the experience. And she did. She couldn’t have been more complimentary. She said, ‘The scripts are perfect, the production is perfect. I’m having the time of my life.'”
The actress also opened up on what it’s like to commit to the project as Sheridan explained her character as she added,
“He explained, conceptually, the arc of the story and my character. And I was really intrigued by this rich socialite New York family going to Montana and trying to figure that out. Then I went away and thought about it and realized I wasn’t going to get anything on paper. I was going to have to, sight unseen, commit or not. It was a big leap of faith.”
More details about The Madison
The Madison is Taylor Sheridan’s latest entry into the Western landscape, and it’s a show that trades the heavier parts of his previous work and settles on an intimate story about a family dealing with loss. Created and written by him, The Madison premiered on March 14 with three episodes, and introduced us to the Clyburn family.
The story revolves around Stacy Clyburn, the matriarch of the family who is rebuilding their lives after losing her husband. Once rooted in New York, they now relocate to the quiet town of Madison River in Montana, giving life- and happiness, another chance.
The cast is led by Pfeiffer who stars as Stacy, with Kurt Russell as Preston Clyburn, who dies early on but his presence is an important part of the narrative. They are joined by Beau Garrett and Elle Chapman, who play Abigail Reese and Paige McIntosh, the two daughters as they struggle with their own complicated reactions to the tragedy that forced the family west.
The show has six episodes in the debut season and a second season is already on it’s way.
The Madison is streaming on Paramount+.
Edited by Nibir Konwar