Advertisement

Julianna Margulies on the future of ‘The Good Wife’: ‘I’m unemployed come April’

Julianna Margulies is seen at AOL Studios in New York. Margulies recently joked about being out of a job, spurring speculation that her series "The Good Wife" is ending.

Julianna Margulies is seen at AOL Studios in New York. Margulies recently joked about being out of a job, spurring speculation that her series “The Good Wife” is ending.

(Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images)
Share via

The future of “The Good Wife” looks murkier than ever, and it’s all Julianna Margulies’ fault.

Speaking Thursday night at the Casting Society of America’s Artios Awards, at which Robert and Michelle King, showrunners of the CBS drama, were being honored, the actress said, “I surprised Robert and Michelle tonight. They didn’t know I was going to be here. They think I’m here for them, but I’m unemployed come April, and I think you haven’t seen me in awhile — at least not in person — so I thought I should show up.”

“The Good Wife,” a legal drama centered on a woman rebuilding her career after years spent as the wife of a philandering politician, is in its seventh season on CBS, and the Kings already have been confirmed as leaving the show when the season concludes this year. What remains unclear is whether CBS will continue the series without them.

Advertisement

At the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Pasadena last week, CBS Entertainment President Glenn Geller contended that the show could continue even without the Kings at the helm, saying, “We have a deep bench on the show. Some of the writers have been there from the beginning. We haven’t made any determination. It’s just January, so we haven’t determined if there will be another season or not.”

“The Good Wife” has always been a valuable commodity for CBS because of the critical acclaim the show has garnered, despite never flourishing in the ratings. The network also has the show’s three principal cast members — Margulies, Christine Baranski and Matt Czuchry — signed to contracts through an eighth season, suggesting that a renewal is not out of the question.

At least one source indicated, however, that comments made by Margulies were intended as a joke and that the future of “The Good Wife” has yet to be determined.

Advertisement

“The Good Wife” airs on CBS at 9 p.m. Sundays.

libby.hill@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter at @midwestspitfire.

MORE:

Advertisement

‘Good Wife’ bosses Robert and Michelle King are exiting the series

TV viewers face a jam-packed January

Advertisement