Michelle Keegan looked incredible when she stepped out at the Cannes Film Festival last week, just months after giving birth to her daughter Palma. And we’re told that the trip was so successful, the actress, 37, is now thinking about her next career move – with her eyes firmly set on Hollywood.
‘Michelle would love to play the lead in a Hollywood movie and, after networking at Cannes, it’s looking like it could be a possibility,’ an insider tells heat. ‘She’s had massive global exposure, thanks to the success of Fool Me Once on Netflix, and a big film project is the next big step for her career-wise.’
However, while the prospect of appearing on the big screen is exciting, it’s posing a bit of a dilemma for Michelle. Our source says that though she has no plans to put a halt to her glittering career, motherhood is leaving her feeling torn between the two.
‘As much as being a mum is everything to Michelle, she’s adamant she’s not giving up her work,’ we’re told. ‘As a new mum, she’s not quite sure how she would balance it all, but she’s determined to give it everything she’s got. She’s feeling quite fired-up about it after Cannes, as she had some really promising meetings. Her agent feels she could be on the cusp of landing something huge.’
The source continues, ‘It’s a dilemma in terms of the logistics, but she doesn’t want the role of a lifetime to slip through her fingers. It’s been fine so far, filming in the UK and travelling around Europe, but crossing the pond is going the extra mile.’
Michelle welcomed baby Palma back in March with her husband of 10 years, Mark Wright. The first-time parents have proudly taken their little one on trips to Cheshire and Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds, and the family also splashed out on a lavish stay in a £21K-a-night suite at London’s Corinthia hotel.
If Michelle does decide to take a job in the US, it wouldn’t be the first time she and Mark, 38, have had to endure a long-distance relationship. From 2017 to 2020, Mark – who met Michelle in 2012 – worked as a presenter on US TV show Extra in LA. While Michelle visited him often, she was unable to make a permanent move due to her work commitments on BBC drama Our Girl, which saw her filming in locations such as South Africa and Malaysia.
In 2022, the pair were separated once more, after Michelle flew to Australia to shoot the BBC’s Ten Pound Poms, while her husband stayed in the UK. And although Mark is being very supportive of Michelle, we’re told he’s worried about spending time apart again. ‘Mark wants Michelle to follow her dreams, but is also concerned about how it might all work out,’ the insider says. ‘Their major concern is spending time apart, especially as they’ve been trying to keep it just the three of them for so long. Mark knows what Hollywood life is like – he made friends with actors and knows the long, unforgiving hours of work you have to put in. It’s a daunting prospect for both of them.’
Having first found fame 18 years ago as Tina McIntyre on Coronation Street, Michelle’s career has skyrocketed since she left the cobbles in 2014. As well as starring in Our Girl, she wowed audiences in thriller Fool Me Once, with both roles earning her nominations at the National Television Awards. She has also just finished shooting the seventh, and final, series of Sky’s Brassic.
But Michelle also appreciates what she has built with Mark. ‘They like their life right now, being able to escape to Spain or somewhere else close by in Europe,’ our source adds. ‘So, if Michelle were to suddenly become more in-demand in the States, they would have to make some serious decisions about where they would spend their time – and make the difficult choice of spending less time at their Essex dream home.
‘Mark knows how ambitious Michelle is and he wants the world for her. But they both know it can be a case of “be careful what you wish for”. Despite the dilemma, Michelle has assured Mark she’s never going to do anything that will tear their family apart.’