At just 21 years-old, Australian actress Margot Robbie moved to LA determined to 'break America,' and the next year she did just that. After starring in Wolf of Wall Street, her Hollywood breakthrough arrived, and her star continues to rise. At BAFTAs: A Life in Pictures, supported by TCL, the multi-faceted actress discussed her illustrious career in film, television and production.
Whilst discussing her role in Golden Globe nominated film, Bombshell, Margot reveals that she didn't know the definition of workplace sexual harassment before starring in the film. 'I realised that I, as a person in an established position in the industry, financially set up and educated, didn't know the definition of sexual harassment. She adds, 'And that's shocking.'
Bombshell tells the true story of the 2016 sexual harassment scandal that took down Roger Ailes, the head of Fox News. Margot played a fictional character named Kayla who hoped to one day be a Fox TV anchor, but faces harassment at the hands of Ailes (John Lithgow) and a culture of misogyny at the network.
Margot admits that after reading the script she was horrified by how little she knew. She says, 'It horrified me just how that particular crime plays in the grey area. That's where it really flourishes when a situation isn't black and white, and that's when insidious people like Roger Ailes or Harvey Weinstein take advantage of that grey area.'
Whilst she couldn't draw on first-hand parallels, she understands the intricacies of these environments. 'I can see how in an office dynamic and in TV, how the power of a personality and someone in position of power can lead to the things that we read about, or testimonies that we hear from survivors. You can see how that plays out in both settings.'
Nothing else can replicate the cinematic experience.
But does Robbie think the power dynamics are really changing in the film industry? 'Definitely - I don't think it's fixed. I think that's a big shift to turn around but it's definitely moving in the right direction.'
Elsewhere in the talk, she discusses starring in Wolf Of Wall Street opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. Robbie reflected on her opening scene, which saw her walk into frame naked - bar stockings and heels. 'I'm not going to lie, I had a couple of shots of tequila before that scene because I was very nervous - very, very nervous,' she reveals.
The BAFTA nominated actress admits that she didn't anticipate the amount of attention she would get. 'It was my first film in America,' she continues. 'Honestly, I know that sounds silly now, knowing how big the movie became, but at the time, I said, "No one's going to notice me in this film, everyone will be focused on Leo [DiCaprio] and I'll just slip under the radar."'
Through her remarkable career, Margot has worked with a breadth of legendary film directors; from Martin Scorsese on Wolf of Wall Street, to Quentin Tarantino on Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood. But it was noted that in the nearly 20 feature films she'd starred in - she hadn't been directed by a woman, until Josie Rourke for Mary Queen of Scots.
Margot says, 'When that became a big part of that conversation, I was like," I've worked with tonnes of women oh, it's all in TV. "' She explains, 'Every single director I work with has a totally different personality and different process. Of course, Josie has a particular insight as a woman, but then you do something like Bombshell with a Jay Roach, and he's the most emotionally intuitive person I know. ' She adds, 'So, I wouldn't say that it didn't work better because he was a man. When it comes to dealing with those specific topics - it's really down to the person. '
I like doing things that are scary, and Barbie was definitely scary because there's so much recognition and baggage.
A style icon since the 50s, Barbie has been setting trends with her pink aesthetic for multiple generations. Today, she’s still at the forefront as the 'Barbiecore' trend infiltrates pop culture (with 7 million TikTok views and counting.) And who is responsible for the resurgence of the trend? It's all thanks to Margot after being papped in THAT bright pink aerobics-inspired look, whilst filming the 2023 Barbie live-action film. 'It's insane,' she says. 'I didn't know it would get the hype that it seems to have already.'
She recounts that it wasn't an easy mission trying to persuade people on how much impact the film could have. She explains, 'When we were trying to get the budget that we needed for it. I kept saying to boards "This is the most globally recognised word next to like Coca Cola, everyone knows Barbie. This will hit!"' She jokes,' Give us more money for budget!'
But what drew Margot to this project? She explains, 'Barbie seemed like a huge opportunity. I was coming at it as a producer to begin with so, I didn't really think of it from the acting point of view until I knew that it was a goal.' She adds,' I knew the only way worth doing it was to have the Greta Gerwig version - I didn't really want to make a straightforward version of the film that didn't seem exciting.'
While Margot is grateful the upcoming film has sparked interest already - she just hopes it doesn't fizzle out. 'The producer side of me is like, everyone just put a lid on it - we're releasing this next summer, ' she says. Adding, ''I would really love the hype to still be there in a couple of month's time, just not right now. But it's exciting, it's great that it ignites conversation, debate, and interest.'
And while the rise of streaming is evident, as a self-confessed movie fanatic, Margot doesn't think the world should count out the theatrical experience any time soon. 'Nothing makes me happier than when a movie does well in theatres - that helps all of us.' She throws out a question of her own, 'Think of your favourite song. Imagine if the first time you heard that song was live at a concert, or the first time was on the radio. I mean, wouldn't you rather it be live? You'll never forget that experience and you can never get that first time back.'