9 to 5ish: Julianna Margulies

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Julianna Margulies went from pouring G&Ts and filming commercials in Manhattan to being one of the most-awarded actresses on television. She’s famous for roles on “E.R.,” “The Good Wife,” and “The Morning Show” — and despite always having a backup plan, Julianna’s biggest decisions have been guided by her intuition. We spoke to Julianna about making big life decisions, taking risks, and turning down lucrative offers.

On Turning Down E.R.

Julianna: I asked so many people. Almost every single person told me, "Don't be stupid, take the money, don't be ridiculous." Except my father. And my father said, "What if you were on the street, waiting for two years of your life to get by, and a bus went up the curb and hit you. And as your soul was leaving your dead mangled body on the side of the road, you looked down and said, 'Was I living my truest life? Or was I just wasting time waiting to get rich? Who do you want to be to yourself?'"

On People Pleasing

Julianna: Sunshine girl was a nickname my mother gave me because I always smiled, I never cried, I wasn't demanding, I never threw a tantrum. And so she would always call me her sunshine girl, which of course I wore as a badge of honor, because that means she loved me. And so I learned to push down all my feelings and my fears and my anxiety.  I never had the voice to say it until I was in my thirties.