Juliana Margulies Big Money Turn Down

Juliana Margulies has revealed that a book on Buddhism convinced her to leave ER in 2000.

The Good Wife actress discusses the decision to pass up $27 million to play Carol Hathaway for two more years with Oprah Winfrey on Saturday’s (May 1st) episode of Super Soul.

In a clip obtained by TVLine, she said, “I went to the Bodhi [Tree] Bookstore [in Los Angeles] — I had heard a friend got some spiritual books and I had been studying some Buddhism, so I went. And I ran my finger down a shelf and I picked out a book, Awakening the Buddha Within. I brought it home…. I opened the book, I closed my eyes and I [pointed to a line in the book]. And I opened my eyes and the line was, ‘I knew I wanted to learn more, not earn more.’”

Margulies spent six years on the NBC medical drama and was the only series regular cast member to win an Emmy for their performance on the show.