The cast of Apple TV’s new upcoming series based on the novel “Margot’s Got Money Troubles” by Rufi Thorpe, featuring A-list actors Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman, made their way to Fullerton College. The filming took place from March 4-6, 2025.
According to President Cynthia Olivo, Fullerton College was contacted by the independent entertainment company, A24 in late fall 2024. Olivo said that Fullerton College is mentioned in the novel “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” which is why the production reached out. She also mentioned that the production team could’ve created a set that reflected Fullerton College as the book mentions it. So, when proposed this idea by former Director of Campus Communication Pepe Barton, Olivo said she thought it was a great idea.
Olivo said that filming in a college helped supplement the budget when she previously worked for Pasadena City College.
“I said yes, and contacted the previous college to find out what the cost fee that we charge production companies for filming,” said Olivo.
FC has been currently working on rebuilding the Friends of Fullerton College Foundation. “This foundation was run externally – outside of the college and located off of the campus. As a result, Fullerton College did not have direct oversight and supervision of the previous foundation’s operations,” said Olivo in an email statement to The Hornet.
The Friends of Fullerton College Foundation (FOFCF) is a new foundation which is housed within Fullerton College. The college now has direct oversight of it. It’s located in building 200, and Olivo will have supervision of the administrator who will lead it. Olivo stated in an email to The Hornet that this will ensure that the college can oversee and govern the foundation’s operations.
Olivo stated that the board of FOFCF selected $50,000 as the minimum recommended amount for the checking account which covers operations and is known as the “unrestricted fund”.
“To help explain — our scholarship fund is known as a ‘restricted fund’ as those funds are restricted to only be spent on scholarships as per donor agreements. [For] example – donors providing funds for science majors. We can only spend that money in that way,” said Olivo in an email statement to The Hornet.
Olivo said that the filming helped raise $52,000 for the foundation’s operational budget. She said she is happy to share that $75,000 in scholarships will be awarded to students this spring. Aside from the filming, FC recently hosted their Dining for Dollars event on March 7, 2025 which helped raise another sum of the money for these scholarships.
Olivo also explained that the cost to run a foundation includes staff salaries, benefits, office supplies, bank fees, investment management fees, postage, technology fees and accounting company fees.
“The foundation needs unrestricted funds for these operational expenses. Currently, the district funds 40% of the foundation’s salaries, benefits and operational expenses and the Foundation must raise 60% to cover the rest of the operating expenses,” said Olivo an in email to The Hornet. “Ultimately, ensuring our foundation is operating benefits all our students. This allows the foundation to exist so that it can continue to fundraise scholarships on behalf of our students and support other funding efforts such as securing grants from organizations,” said Olivo an in email to The Hornet.
For eligible applicants, the FOFCF application opened on March 3, 2025 and closes on April 11, 2025.
*This article was updated on March 19, 2025. A previous version of this article stated the title of the series as “Margot’s Got Money Troubles” and has been corrected to “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.”*
