julianna margulies

Julianna Margulies on Alicia Florrick’s New Attitude and Using Peter to ‘Get Her Yayas On’

2015 New York Stage And Film Gala
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On last night’s episode of The Good Wife, Alicia Florrick certainly seemed less like a pawn and more like a woman who’s finally taking control of her trajectory — and Julianna Margulies couldn’t be more pleased. “She’s done, and I love it,” Margulies said at A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s, an event for the Michael J. Fox Foundation Saturday night. “She’s gotten to a place where she just doesn’t care.” Margulies spoke with Vulture about what’s changed for Alicia, using Peter, and an upcoming Alicia-Eli encounter.

What do you think has shifted for Alicia?
She’s gotten to the bottom of the barrel again, only this time, she’s in her late 40s and doesn’t care anymore. She’s like, “You know what? Fuck you all. I’m going to do what I want, I’m going to live my life the way that I want, because no matter what I do, it’s never good enough.”

That must be fun for you.
It’s really freeing to play — it’s fun. I love how they’re throwing her around. My favorite line is, “I seduced you; you don’t have to call me in the morning.” I just like that she’s wearing the pants when it comes to sex suddenly, which never really was the case. And I also think she really wants to be sleeping with her investigator, but she can’t, so she’s using Peter to get her yayas on.

Isn’t everybody using everybody else?
Right. She says that in an episode that already aired. Someone says, “You know Eli is using you,” and she goes, “Who isn’t?”

Can we look forward to seeing more of Alicia’s reckless abandon?
You’re in for a little bit of a ride. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it wouldn’t be drama if she didn’t fall from grace yet again. I really am sworn to secrecy, but I’ll tell you this: You can look forward to her and Eli having an incredible encounter that might be the saddest thing you’ve ever seen the two of them go through together.

Oh no …
I’m sorry, I’m being horrible, but I don’t want to ruin it!

No, I completely understand. So someone calls you and Peter a boring old married couple, but then you say the sex is sexier now that you guys aren’t in love.
Right, that was a line Alicia had, she said, “Yeah, it’s sexier when there’s no love involved.” Isn’t that sad? But that might be true for some people. That’s why people have affairs with people they’re not in love with. Right?

Julianna Margulies on Alicia’s New Attitude