Spitzer, Edwards, Kennedy, Clinton, and Hart. These are only some of the political sex scandals that have made headlines over the past several decades. In each of these cases, the political husband had at least one extramarital affair which caught the attention of the media.
Julianna Margulies plays a woman in the same situation. When her husband (Chris Noth) is caught in the media rush of his extramarital affair as well as a political mess, she goes back to work as an attorney while her husband sits in jail, not for his sexual encounter, but for an illicit political scandal, which he denies and is determined to clear up.
Alicia Florrick (Margulies) is a tough woman and is determined to get on with her life. She joins a law firm and is immediately caught up in the fast pace of the firm as well as the ramifications of her husband’s transgressions.
Julianna Margulies is Intrigued by Her New Character
“I loved how complicated she is,” Margulies told the Television Critics Association about her new character. “This is a woman who's thought her life was going one way for many, many years and trusted that life and that world that she lived in. And then everything crumbles. So as an actor, I felt like there [are] so many places to go. I mean, we're going to be able to peel her like an onion for years to come because how do you react? I was so quick to judge all those women that I saw standing up and standing by their man. In my head I kept thinking, ‘Well, why are you standing there?’
“So for me, the pilot had me from the beginning. From that opening scene where you see her standing there, I was so taken by that scene. And I feel like these women really don't get their due in that they're supposed to have the children [and] support the husband. These are smart women. Silda Spitzer right now is heading a hedge fund in New York City. She's never been better. Elizabeth Edwards just wrote a book. Look at Hillary Clinton. It's not like these are silly little wallflowers that are waiting for their husband to come home. Most of them have two degrees, at least, and they're incredibly accomplished. So I found it a fascinating role to play. And, you know, thank God for a 10 o'clock slot because I feel like with that slot, we can make it a little darker than possibly if we were in a 9 o'clock slot.”
The Real Life Women Who Have Been Through a Public Scandal
When asked about watching the real women who have been in the situation of her on-screen character, like Silda Spitzer and Elizabeth Edwards, Julianna was philosophical. “It gave me a tremendous amount of respect for them because I was so quick to judge them until I stood in Alicia's shoes.” Even though she is a fictional character, Margulies said that playing the part definitely gave her insight into the
real life women, the scandals, and their personal lives. “It's very important to all of us on the show that this show isn't about demeaning who they are and gaining from their downfall, because it's very painful, what they went through.”
As Margulies stated, “We just don't know what's going on in the bedroom or at home. You know, we all assume that when you see the scandal, he's a bad man and she's a good woman. And we don't know what their deal is at home. We don't know what they've been going through in their own marriage. Most of these scandals happen after years of marriage.
“I think we're all so quick to judge these people without knowing the facts. And that's what I loved about this [series] was that I've had friends whose husbands have cheated on them, and they're still together because they have three children and they see their fault in it too. And life shifts and changes, and I think it's a great way to explore human nature.”
Getting Back Into a Courtroom
Alicia Florrick is a formidable woman. As Margulies explained, “She graduated top in her class at Georgetown University 15 years prior to this [scandal] and never really got to hone in on her skills. So I also think it's a great way for her to discover who she is as a woman.”
The last series in which Julianna starred was another legal drama called Canterbury’s Law. The actress acknowledged that she was not too excited to take on another legal drama. “I wasn't eager at all to get back into a court drama because they're hard. They're incredibly difficult in the shooting process of them and learning the language of it.”
Finally, Julianna Margulies commented about the fact that most scandals involve men. “I just was talking about that. I said, well, maybe this show will be on long enough where Alicia starts having affairs,” she said with some amusement. “I think women are too busy. We're exhausted.”
The Good Wife airs Tuesdays on CBS at 10:00 PM, ET/PT.
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