Margaret Qualley is posing for Vanity Fair and opening up about her life and career.
The 31-year-old The Substance actress covers the March 2026 issue, out on newsstands on February 24.
During the conversation, the Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood star opens up about her path to success, her public persona, making career mistakes, and how husband Jack Antonoff helped her find confidence in herself.
On growing self-confidence in a challenging industry…
“I started working so young, and when I first started acting, I was just overwhelmed. I felt like if I was fully myself, women would hate me and men would hurt me. And so that took away some of the tools that come with being a woman because I was scared. Gradually, now that I feel like I have more control of my life, I can kind of lean more into the sensual and the feminine.”
“Jack [Antonoff] has helped me for sure, because he has made me feel more confident to explore all the parts of myself.”
A text message Margaret sent to VF author Marissa Meltzer following their first interview, in which Margaret was guarded about what to share…
“I love my husband, my family. I love dancing and horses. I love the moon. Happy crying is the best. I love listening to Tara Brach and books on tape. And anything Jack writes. Female friendships are so holy, shout out Talia Ryder. My sister was my first soulmate. I wanna die on a farm. I need to learn how to drive stick, my brother tried to teach me but I was 12 and it didn’t land. Smokey, dog, god. I love you world, thank you for having me.”
Reflecting upon making mistakes throughout her career…
“I’m supercompetitive with myself, and I’m very driven. I have learned the lesson of my eyes being too big for my stomach professionally. That means taking all the opportunities I can get and then crashing and feeling like I have a schedule I can’t keep up with.”
On taking on roles she thinks were mistakes…
“When I say mistakes, I don’t mean it was the wrong thing, I mean I wouldn’t do it again.”
On why she chooses to keep her private life an enigma…
“I don’t feel like I’m always good at representing myself publicly in real time, so I would almost rather say nothing at all? Because rather than have the wrong idea about me, someone just wouldn’t have any idea about me.”
On being a faithful student of twice-a-day Transcendental Meditation…
“I used to use my job as an excuse to check out of my life. I find that now staying checked in to my life is the best medicine.”
For more, head to VanityFair.com.
She also just starred in her husband’s music video!