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In a testament to his creative prowess, Taylor Sheridan has successfully enticed Hollywood icons Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell to grace the small screen with their presence. When approached with the series The Madison, centered around a wealthy New York City family grappling with the sudden loss of their patriarch, both stars were quick to accept the offer. Pfeiffer, who portrays Stacy Clyburn, delivers a poignant and raw depiction of a woman navigating the complex stages of grief. Recognizing the emotional depth required for the role, Pfeiffer knew it would be a formidable challenge. Attracted by the high-caliber female roles being crafted for television, she traveled to Sheridan’s ranch in Texas to discuss the project. “We shared a few tequilas, and he outlined the vision. I was immediately drawn to it,” Pfeiffer recounted.
To solidify her decision, Pfeiffer sought the counsel of Helen Mirren, Sheridan’s collaborator on 1923. Mirren’s glowing endorsement of Sheridan’s productions as the “best she had ever been part of” sealed the deal for Pfeiffer. With her commitment secured, Kurt Russell joined the cast as Preston Clyburn, a devoted husband yearning for the tranquility of Montana. Russell acknowledged that it was Pfeiffer’s initial leap of faith that set the wheels in motion for the production. Her involvement made his decision an effortless one. “Taylor captured our essence perfectly,” Russell remarked.
Throughout the season, the enduring love story of Stacy and Preston unfolds, spanning nearly four decades and enriched by their lives with two daughters. This emotional journey is expressed through poignant flashbacks and Stacy’s vivid memories. To authentically portray this deep connection, Pfeiffer leaned on her longstanding rapport with Russell. The pair first collaborated nearly 38 years ago on Robert Towne’s underrated film Tequila Sunrise and have maintained a close friendship ever since. “He was my confidant and my greatest supporter,” Pfeiffer shared.
During a press junket with Decider, Pfeiffer and Russell reflected on the season, discussing the nuances of their characters and the technical challenges they faced, including filming a memorable bathtub scene together.
DECIDER: Michelle, while Kurt seems quite at home in Western settings, The Madison marks your debut in this genre. What drew you to this project at this stage of your career?
MICHELLE PFEIFFER: I have been wanting to do a television show for a long time. I’ve been open to projects because there’s just so much good work being done. The best female performances are happening on television, and especially in my age range. Taylor has a pretty good track record [laughs]. It’s always about timing. When he came to me about the show, he hadn’t even really written a word. I went to his ranch in Texas, and we had a couple tequilas. He laid it out for me, and I liked the concept. I thought, “well, he’s a good person to lay a bet on.”
It’s now well-known that you spoke to Helen Mirren before accepting the offer. Why did you reach out to her?
Because I didn’t have any scripts or anything. I thought: “This is the middle of nowhere in Montana. I’m going to have to relocate for a long time.” I was trying to find out as much information as I could. I don’t know Helen, but I reached out to her, and she was gracious enough to speak to me. She just said: “Scripts are brilliant. You don’t see much of Taylor, but you don’t need to because you don’t need to change anything. Productions are best productions I have ever worked on.” I thought, “okay, well, that’s a pretty high recommendation.”
And Kurt, did you need the same level of convincing?
KURT RUSSELL: No, no.
MP: He had scripts to read [laughs].
KR: My scripts were there. She took a leap of faith. She made the first move. I was in a situation where, scheduling wise, I was wanting to do the show, but didn’t know if I was going to be able to. They were able to work it out, and I had four scripts to read. Plus, I knew Michelle was playing Stacy, so it was easy for me to say “yes.” I could read it and see it and there was nothing not to want to be a part of.
Michelle, you must carry the memory of Stacy’s and Preston’s love story in the present, which is a huge undertaking even though we get these wonderful flashbacks. Can you talk about crafting that love story from the beyond?
MP: Well, it really helped to know Kurt and have worked with him. When you work with people, you bond and you become friends. He was my confidant and my biggest supporter. During the casting process, when Kurt’s name came up, it was like, “oh my God, yes, it has to be Kurt Russell.” I ended up having to shoot my side of things in the first season without him. Somebody was reading his lines off camera for me, but I could totally hear Kurt’s voice. Taylor clearly wrote it with Kurt in mind.
KR: Yeah, he did write it with us in mind. I didn’t know that until just recently. When I learned that Michelle was going to do it, I thought, “well, that’s just right.” Then, I started reading those first scripts from the point of view of playing Preston. It hit pretty close to home. Taylor captured our voices, but it’s always one thing to read something and then another to try to execute it. The execution this time—I know from him—was what he was hoping to see.
We had to wait 2 episodes until we see Preston in the bath with Stacy, and it’s a wonderful scene where they talk about their daughter Abby (Beau Garrett) and you see how differently they want to parent. Can you talk to me about that scene? Were they able to keep the water warm?
MP: Oh, yes.
KR: It was physically hard because it was a huge bathtub. I actually didn’t like the way it was shot. We should have been higher up in the bathtub, but I’m not going to complain about it. I thought it was a sweet scene. Though, it was hard to film. I remember putting my legs around your hips.
MP: It was very…
KR: We kept sliding [laughs].
MP: We kept sliding down. [Laughs] Those things aren’t very easy to film.
KR: [Still laughing] And your foot’s going up here like [gesturing upwards]. That scene was physically hard to do.
MP: It was.
The first 3 episodes of The Madison are now streaming on Paramount+