Michelle Monaghan has always carried herself with confidence, and she is now making it clear that she won’t take her heels off for anyone. After her early days in “Mission: Impossible III” to her latest globe-hopping projects, Monaghan is drawing a firm line, especially when it comes to on-set expectations that once seemed normal for women in Hollywood. After years of the industry asking her to literally step down so others could stand taller, she has decided to hold her ground and her power.
Michelle Monaghan shares she’s setting boundaries at work
In her recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Michelle Monaghan put it best: “I’m not going to take my shoes off for anybody.” She looked back on a moment from Sofia Coppola’s “Somewhere,” recalling how her co-star, actor Stephen Dorff, needed an apple box to match her height for a photoshoot scene. Monaghan highlighted, “It’s that classic Hollywood moment of, ‘This is an issue. You’re going to have to take off your heels.'”
She recalled, “There was a period in my career where that was expected of actresses.” Manoghan further said, “But now I think they just know better, which is probably a good thing. I’m not going to take my shoes off for anybody — unless it’s for sound.” That single line captures how women are choosing comfort and equality over old rules. Her reflection is not just about footwear — it is about setting boundaries and standing her ground, literally and figuratively.
Over the past two years, Monaghan has worked nonstop, shooting “The White Lotus” in Thailand and “The Family Plan 2” across London and Paris. Her new film, “The Family Plan 2,” streaming on Apple TV, continues the spirit of balancing her personal and professional life. Monaghan’s character, Jessica Morgan, gets to show her strength — not just as a mother or partner on screen, but as a fully realized hero alongside her co-stars.
And while the industry has changed since her early days, Michelle Monaghan’s stance says it all: no more bending, especially not in heels.
