(Photo: The New York Times)
Long beloved by fans, Michelle Pfeiffer was at the peak of her career from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. As she's gotten older, leading roles have naturally become less frequent, and being selective with her scripts, she no longer makes frequent public appearances. While some actors might feel anxious about a decline in stardom or fewer opportunities for leading roles, Pfeiffer has not only embraced this shift but is more than happy with it.
(Photo: The New York Times)
During the recent Narrative: The Women of Apple TV event, co-hosted by The Hollywood Reporter and Apple TV, Pfeiffer candidly admitted that she now enjoys working on ensemble projects far more than carrying a film on her own—so much so that she doesn't want to take on leading roles anymore. "I swear, I never want to be the lead of a movie again," she said. "I just want to be in an ensemble. It's so much more fun. I love it." An ensemble film is one without a single, or just two or three, main protagonists; instead, all characters are central, with "The Avengers" being a prime example.
(Photo: The New York Times)
Looking at Pfeiffer's filmography over the past decade, it's clear she has primarily taken on supporting and ensemble roles, with "The Wizard of Lies" and "French Exit" being rare exceptions where she was the first-billed female lead. In recent years, Pfeiffer has demonstrated her preference for ensemble casts with films like "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Mother!" fitting this category.