Sunshine GIrl: An Unexpected Life

Known for playing strong and memorable roles on E.R and The Good Wife, actress Julianna Margulies can now add author to her list of accomplishments. This memoir focuses on her early days in her eccentric and often dysfunctional family, her rise to fame in Hollywood and her accomplishments in her career and family life.

I listened to the audiobook of this memoir, which was interesting, well-written and wonderfully narrated by the author who has quite a recognizable voice. But it was not the memoir I had expected. Margulies excels at storytelling, but there was a lot less about her time on popular Hollywood sets than you'd expect. I loved ER and The Good Wife and while I enjoyed learning about where she came from, a big part of me wanted the inside scoop about what it was like on the sets of these super popular TV shows (and some celebrity name dropping for good measure). What was it like to work with George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Christine Baranski and guest stars like Michael J Fox and Martha Plimpton? What about some funny anecdotes with Noah Wylie or Archie Punjabi? We won't find out in this book, unfortunately. She does finally open up and talk ever so briefly about how and why she walked away from the $27 million dollars she was offered to extend her contract on ER into its seventh season. 

This was an interesting memoir that is down to earth and much more introspective than I had anticipated. She shares her early family life - her absentee father, her eccentric mother and her almost nomadic childhood living in different countries and continents. Through these anecdotes, we witness her hopes, struggles, strong work ethic and her commitment to what truly brings her joy. While I wouldn't have minded a bit more focus on her days in Hollywood, I appreciate getting a close look into the life of this woman, actress, mother, and wife who just happens to be a celebrity. 

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Julianna Margulies

Genre: Memoir

Type and Source: eAudiobook from public library

Narrator: Julianna Margulies

Run Time: 8 hours, 17 minutes

Publisher: Random House Audio

First Published: May 4, 2021

Opening Line: In the opening scene of the pilot episode 

of The Good Wife the camera follows the lead character, 

Alicia Florrick, and her husband, Cook County State's Attorney Peter 

Florrick, down a hotel hallway on their way to a press conference. 

Book Description from GoodReads: Known for her outstanding performances on The Good Wife and ER, Julianna Margulies now unleashes her sharp talent with a powerful debut memoir chronicling her life and her work, examining from within her journey from chaos to calm.

When an actor is on a long running television show, especially when the writing is superb as was the case with The Good Wife, the character becomes a second skin; they grow as you grow, they change as you change. Being an actress gives me the luxury of discovering myself. All the feelings that came up from playing Alicia allowed me to look back at my life and tap into my own vulnerability. My personal fear of the unknown reared its ugly head as I studied this character, most likely stemming from the ever-present unpredictability of my childhood. --from the introduction

An apple-cheeked bubbly child, Julianna Margulies was bestowed the nickname Sunshine Girl by her mother at an early age. Raised between two divorced parents, often on different continents, Julianna quickly learned how to be of value to her eccentric mother and her absent father. Raised in fairly unconventional ways in various homes in Paris, England, New York, and New Hampshire, Julianna's role among the turmoil and uncertainty surrounding her was to comfort those around her, find organization among the disorder, and eventually make her way in the world as a young adult and eventually an award-winning actress.

Along the way, there were complicated relationships, difficult choices, and overwhelming rejections. But there were also the moments that fate, faith, and talent assembled in a perfect storm that led to the roles of a lifetime, both professionally and personally.

Unflinchingly honest and perceptive, Sunshine Girl is a riveting self-portrait of a woman whose resilience in the face of turmoil will leave readers intrigued and inspired.