As I reflect on Margot Robbie‘s remarkable journey in Hollywood, I can’t help but be in awe of how her life has been transformed by her experiences. Ten years ago, she made her mark as a promising newcomer with her electrifying performance as Naomi in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” But little did we know that this collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio would prove to be more than just an acting gig.
Margot Robbie, an Australian actress, is among the fortunate ones who can claim that their career-launching role was in a Martin Scorsese production. Since the release of “The Wolf of Wall Street” in 2013, Robbie has left a lasting impression with her versatile performances. Notably, she brought Harley Quinn to life in the DC film series and starred in the blockbuster hit “Barbie” in 2023, which was a massive success at the box office. Yet, her journey from an unknown actress to a Hollywood star wouldn’t have been possible without that groundbreaking role.
Before landing her role in Martin Scorsese’s film “The Wolf of Wall Street,” the actress had already made a name for herself. At just 18, she began her career on the Australian soap opera “Neighbours.” After moving to America, she starred in the short-lived ABC series “Pan Am” and appeared in the romantic comedy “About Time.” It wasn’t too long before Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio noticed her during auditions for the part of Naomi Lapaglia, Jordan Belfort’s second wife (and former mistress) in “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Naomi, portrayed in the movie, is based on Nadine Macaluso, Belfort’s former wife, who met with Robbie during film preparations to guide her in portraying the role authentically. On her TikTok account, Macaluso shared an experience where she encouraged Robbie, saying, “Harness that fear you have about speaking truth to powerful men and use it to deliver a remarkable performance.” Not only did Robbie take her advice seriously, but her acting in the film significantly impacted her career.
Robbie’s audition for Naomi taught her to be bold
Acting auditions can be stressful for performers, but it becomes an entirely different experience when you’re screening-tested alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the presence of Martin Scorsese. Margot Robbie managed to make a powerful first impression during her audition that proved pivotal for her career. She was elated just to learn that Scorsese had watched her screen test, let alone been given the opportunity to act with DiCaprio.
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Robbie shared her experience of feeling the pressure to impress during her audition for a prominent figure, Leo DiCaprio, and as the session neared its conclusion, she made a bold move. “I found myself inches away from his face,” she recounted, “thinking, ‘Should I go for it and kiss him?'” She pondered, “‘When else will I have an opportunity to kiss Leo DiCaprio?'” Although she didn’t ultimately take that step, her unconventional approach paid off. Scorsese later disclosed that her unexpected gesture earned her the part. Shortly after leaving the room and doubting her decision, Robbie was summoned back for a reprise performance, where she landed the role with great enthusiasm.
Unprompted, the slap served as a catalyst for Robbie to become more daring in her acting decisions on set. In retrospect, during her collaboration with Brad Pitt on “Babylon,” she persuaded director Damien Chazelle to allow an impromptu on-screen kiss between them. Previously, Chazelle had reprimanded her for seemingly desiring nothing more than a kiss from her costar. To Pitt’s relief, he avoided the fate of DiCaprio receiving that slap instead.
She reconsidered her attitude towards nudity for the role
Before filming “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Margot Robbie shared with Nadine Macaluso that she initially hesitated to take on the project due to the extensive nudity it involved. In fact, she came close to declining the role. Her commitment to “Pan Am” at the time was a factor, but more importantly, she struggled to identify with Naomi beyond her portrayal as a gold digger who used her body to gain advantages. She saw Naomi as one-dimensional and felt disconnected from the character.
Robbie effectively connected with Naomi’s character during her audition by channeling her anger, as she shared with The Sydney Morning Herald. She described Naomi as having a fiery temperament and not putting up with anyone’s nonsense. Robbie believed that Naomi should be naked while seducing Belfort (DiCaprio), making the scene more authentic instead of having her clothed for the sake of propriety. Instead of resisting an unnecessary nude scene, she turned it into a crucial moment in the film.
In the end, it was Robbie who advocated for baring all in the memorable scene, even as Scorsese gave her the option to wear a robe. To Robbie, Naomi’s unfiltered display towards Jordan was a strong and courageous act. She believed that the least she could do was mirror that courage on set.
Margot Robbie joined in on rewrites for one sequence
As a gamer, I can relate to Margot Robbie’s experience in “The Wolf of Wall Street” by saying that even though it was my first major role in the film industry, I quickly realized that teamwork is crucial for creating an excellent production. I was fortunate enough to learn this valuable lesson from working with one of the greatest directors alive. During a BAFTA Q&A session, I shared how involved I was in the filmmaking process, particularly for a scene where a fight between my character and Leonardo DiCaprio’s led to his character crashing a car with his daughter inside. This experience was invaluable, and I cherished every moment of it.
According to Robbie’s account (as reported by Deadline), the initial scene was meant to be simpler. However, an unexpected brainstorming session with Scorsese and DiCaprio the evening before filming transformed it significantly. The first assistant director, Adam Somner, may have been frustrated since unplanned changes arose suddenly; we decided on the spur of the moment that we needed to damage a garage door, shatter a car window, and wreck a couch.
Luckily, Robbie had spent several months on set by then, giving her the confidence to share her suggestions with Scorsese and even take bold actions during filming. These impromptu moments resulted in some of the most memorable scenes in the movie. Her previous audition experience had shown her that Scorsese welcomed her creative input, no matter how unconventional or risky it might be for DiCaprio.
Wolf of Wall Street led to her first widespread acclaim
Margot Robbie quickly gained popularity after her impressive role in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Her convincing Brooklyn accent left many surprised that she was actually Australian. Vanity Fair even highlighted her performance among the best New York accents in cinema history.
Robbie’s acting was highly commended, from her line deliveries up to the smallest details. Some even foresaw her imminent rise to fame. Awards Daily described her as “ferocious yet funny, tough, and steals every scene she graces with her presence,” while Scorsese’s latest discovery of a blonde bombshell since Cathy Moriarty in ‘Raging Bull’. The Guardian, despite criticizing the film for its length and portrayal of Belfort, still acknowledged Robbie as one of the standout performances.
Although Robbie didn’t receive recognition with major award nominations for her role as a supporting actress in “The Wolf of Wall Street” at the Oscars, she still received accolades. She won an award for best female newcomer at the Empire Awards and was nominated for various other prizes such as MTV Movie and TV Awards and Critics’ Choice Awards, among others. However, this wasn’t the only time that Robbie would experience being overlooked by the Oscars.
The pressures of fame intimidated Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie faced challenges adapting to her newfound fame after “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Her role in the film required her to bare all, making it even more difficult for her to back down. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Robbie revealed that she experienced a deep depression following the movie’s release and contemplated leaving acting. She admitted, “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue with this anymore.” Her mother, however, encouraged her to keep going, saying, “My dear, it seems too late for you to quit now.” Fortunately, Robbie took her mother’s advice and pressed on.
Robbie expresses confidence in managing celebrity life yet remains critical of intrusive privacy invasions, particularly in Australia with lax paparazzi laws. She acknowledges the challenges of dealing with industry stress and pressure, which can be overwhelming at times. Fortunately, she has no regrets, including her role in “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Her A-list status was cemented thanks to Adam McKay
After playing the captivating and infamous role in “The Wolf of Wall Street” by Martin Scorsese, I, Margot Robbie, found myself in the limelight as an in-demand actress. The years following that groundbreaking experience brought me projects that were not only high-profile but also close to my heart. I starred in “Focus,” a thrilling game of deception, and “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” a comedic take on war journalism. Additionally, I made an appearance in Adam McKay’s thought-provoking film, “The Big Short,” which delved into the 2007 financial crisis. The buzz surrounding my performances was as palpable as the electricity on-screen, making my celebrity status grow just as large as the unforgettable characters I portrayed.
Robbie was among several famous stars who made brief appearances in the movie, interrupting the narrative to teach financial concepts in a more engaging manner than typical finance programs. In Robbie’s scene, she’s shown relaxing in a bubble bath with champagne while discussing subprime mortgages. According to her account in an interview for The Hollywood Reporter, “That was the most effortless day of work I’ve experienced in my career.”
McKay referred to the famous faces in the film’s cameos as renowned figures of pop culture, with Anthony Bourdain and Selena Gomez being some of them. It wasn’t hard to persuade Robbie to take part in the scene, but given that it followed “The Wolf of Wall Street” so closely, it was a significant achievement for Robbie to be recognized as a pop culture icon at such an early stage in his career.
Typecasting led Robbie to start her own production company
After the London premiere of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Margot Robbie and her future husband Tom Ackerley, along with friends Josey McNamara and Sophia Kerr, made a decision to live together. This life-altering choice not only affected Robbie’s romantic relationship with Ackerley but also led her to explore a new path in her career: producing.
After “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Robbie’s career flourished, but the actress found herself creatively restricted by the roles she received, which were mostly like her Naomi character. Although Robbie was only 24 years old at that time, she yearned to generate opportunities for more impactful female roles. As McNamara shared with Variety, “Robbie had reached a point in her career where she had the power to establish her own company and help other women creators by providing them with the same platform she was benefiting from.”
Robbie, Ackerley, McNamara, and Kerr established LuckyChap Entertainment, a production company that gained recognition. This business is primarily associated with Robbie’s directorial projects such as “I, Tonya,” “Birds of Prey,” “Barbie,” and other acclaimed films like “Promising Young Woman” and “Saltburn.” LuckyChap Entertainment plays a significant role in advancing women’s representation on both sides of the camera, promoting female directors, writers, and crew members.
She carried lessons from Naomi over to Harley Quinn
Margot Robbie had apprehensions about portraying Naomi in “The Wolf of Wall Street” and Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad,” as she found both characters’ immodest behaviors and questionable depths challenging.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Robbie shared that she initially struggled to identify with her role’s tough demeanor followed by vulnerability. She admitted, “I found it hard to grasp how one person could embody such strength and then crumble over a man.” Yet, fans have shown great affection for this aspect of the character. Nevertheless, following advice from her acting mentor, Robbie started interpreting the role through the perspective of damaging, codependent relationships.
Since then, I’ve become deeply enamored with Harley Quinn, and the weight of responsibility pressed heavily upon me as her first live-action interpreter. Luckily, my background from “The Wolf of Wall Street” provided me with a comfortable familiarity – the Brooklyn accent that defines Harley felt like a second language to me, making it one of the more natural American accents for me to bring to life, given our shared experience of omitting “r’s.”
Her SNL debut poked fun at the public’s perception of her
During the 2010s, as Margot Robbie gained more recognition in Hollywood, she grew frustrated with being pigeonholed as a sex symbol. She believed that this label diminished her acting abilities, expressing her displeasure to the Chicago Tribune, “It’s disheartening when all the hard work I put into collaborating with talented directors, cinematographers, editors, and more gets overshadowed by one sensationalized comment like, ‘Robbie Sets Screens Ablaze as Blonde Bombshell!'”
Despite being labeled as merely beautiful, Margot Robbie turned the tables when she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 2016. She used her looks to bring humor to several sketches, like the one called “Live Report.” In this sketch, Robbie portrayed a stunningly beautiful wife to Mikey Day’s average news anchor, Matt Schatt, and the resulting comedic interaction added depth to her image beyond her physical appearance.
In an alternate portrayal, titled “The Librarian,” Robbie surprised viewers as she took on the role of a seductive librarian. However, contrary to patrons’ anticipations, her allure fell short. This episode showcased Robbie’s versatility and solidified her position as one of SNL’s most impressive debut hosts.
She wanted to be taken more seriously as an actor
In her interview with Wonderland magazine, as reported by The Independent, Margot Robbie expressed her concerns about being typecast after her role in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” She acknowledged that the script described her character as the “hottest blonde ever,” but she assured readers that she doesn’t fit that description. She was worried that audiences would judge her based on that film alone and underestimate her acting abilities.
After the release of Scorsese’s film, Robbie pursued acting projects that demanded both her own growth and that of the viewers. This quest brought her to the biopic “I, Tonya,” where she portrayed the complex character of Tonya Harding. Unlike the common perception, Harding was not merely attractive but offered Robbie an opportunity to delve deeper than her physical appearance. To accurately embody Harding, Robbie dedicated considerable time and effort, including extensive training in figure skating and mastering Harding’s unique accent.
After facing skepticism about her capabilities, Robbie surprised everyone with a standout performance in “I, Tonya.” This was not her most high-profile project, yet she shined brilliantly. As a result, she earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress the following year.
Margot Robbie’s gotten used to working with Leonardo DiCaprio
As a gamer, I can tell you that playing the role of Naomi in “The Wolf of Wall Street” video game version was an amazing experience. I got to interact extensively with Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, sharing intense moments on screen. Many scenes depicted us either locked in passionate embraces or engaged in heated arguments. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to act alongside my long-time idol. He not only lived up to my expectations but went above and beyond, guiding me through the production process and ensuring I felt comfortable every step of the way. It’s safe to say he became more than just an actor to me – he turned into a supportive mentor.
Although she needed to restrain her friends’ assumptions about an on-screen romance between her and DiCaprio, as filming nude scenes with him was an uneasy experience, not the fairy-tale scenario they imagined. Yet, Robbie viewed collaborating with DiCaprio as a test, driven not by celebrity vanity but by his exceptional acting skills that motivated her to raise her own performance level. Robbie has been fortunate enough to work with DiCaprio on two projects – “Babel” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” where their screen time together was more restricted.
She has grown a lot as a collaborator
In 2023, Margot Robbie experienced a significant year with the release of “Barbie,” in which she not only acted but also produced. Prior to this project, Robbie had committed as a producer without intending to portray the lead character. However, when director Greta Gerwig joined the team, Robbie hesitated and questioned her ability to take on the role without Gerwig’s support and partnership. Despite her prior recognition for her appearance in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Robbie started as a behind-the-scenes producer for “Barbie” and only considered playing the title character after Gerwig came aboard.
Currently, Robbie looks back at “The Wolf of Wall Street” as the turning point for her career leading to “Barbie.” In an interview with Deadline prior to the film’s anniversary, she shared, “Ten years ago, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ brought about a significant change in my life. And now, after achieving success with ‘Barbie,’ it feels like the last decade has been an exhilarating rollercoaster ride – something I could have never imagined for myself.” If that production introduced Margot Robbie as a rising Hollywood star, securing the role in “Barbie” was the best impulsive choice, proving that working alongside Leonardo DiCaprio could become a pivotal moment in cinema history.
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2024-07-21 13:31