PremiumMargot Robbie turns 34: From The Wolf of Wall Street to Barbie, revisiting her most memorable performances
Celebrating Margot Robbie on her birthday by taking on a journey through her iconic roles.
Last Updated: 03.38 PM, Jul 02, 2024
Today marks the 34th birthday of multi-genre actor Margot Robbie, whose electrifying performances have captivated audiences worldwide. From her breakthrough role as Naomi Lapaglia in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street to her critically lauded portrayal of the iconic figure skater in I, Tonya, Robbie's filmography demonstrates her extraordinary breadth and adaptability. Her performances captivate and delight audiences around the world every time she takes the stage, be it as the iconic Harley Quinn in the DCEU, a complex historical figure like Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots, or a fantastical world like Barbieland in the 2023 smash hit Barbie.
Let's revisit some of her iconic films, which showcase her remarkable career in film.
Films starring Margot Robbie
The Wolf of Wall Street (Lionsgate Play and OTTplay Premium)
Terence Winter wrote the biographical black comedy film The Wolf of Wall Street, which Martin Scorsese co-produced and directed in 2013. Jordan Belfort published his memoir of the same name in 2007. Widespread Wall Street corruption and fraud engulfed Belfort's New York City brokerage firm, Stratton Oakmont, ultimately leading to his demise. The film has an ensemble cast including Leonardo DiCaprio (Belfort), Jonah Hill (Donnie Azoff), Margot Robbie (Naomi Lapaglia), Matthew McConaughey (Mark Hanna), and Kyle Chandler (FBI agent Patrick Denham). It marks the fifth time that DiCaprio has worked with Scorsese.
Once upon a time, in 1987, Jordan Belfort worked as a stockbroker on Wall Street for L.F. Rothschild under Mark Hanna. Mark immediately drew Belfort into the sex and drug-fueled world of stockbrokers and taught him that his sole purpose in life was to make money. On Long Island, Jordan finds work at a boiler room brokerage that deals in penny stocks when his profession abruptly ends after Black Monday. Jordan's forceful pitching style and high fees make him a tidy sum. Among others corrupted in the enormous securities scam of the 1990s—which included shoe designer Steve Madden—he spent 22 months behind bars for deceiving investors.
Focus (Netflix)
Glenn Ficarra and John Requa penned and directed the 2015 crime comedy-drama Focus, which featured Will Smith and Margot Robbie. The narrative takes a wannabe femme fatale under the wing of a career con artist.
Will Smith plays the role of Nicky, a con artist with years of experience who falls in love with Jess, a novice, played by Margot Robbie. She gets a little too close while he's showing her the ropes, so he breaks off the lesson suddenly. The former flame, who has since become a successful femme fatale, resurfaces in Buenos Aires while competing in a high-stakes racecar circuit, three years later. She completely derails Nicky's most recent and extremely risky plot. Even the most seasoned con artist has lost his edge.
Suicide Squad (Netflix; JioCinema; Prime Video)
The 2016 superhero film Suicide Squad is based on the titular anti-hero squad from DC Comics. It is the third installment as part of the DCEU. Ayer wrote and directed the film, which features an ensemble cast headed by Smith, Robbie, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Hernandez, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, and Delevingne. Joel Kinnaman also appears. In the film, Amanda Waller's undercover government organisation enlists the help of incarcerated supervillains to rescue the planet from a formidable enemy, all while negotiating for lighter terms for the villains.
Being negative feels good. Gather the most lethal, behind-the-scenes supervillains from across the globe, equip them with the government's most formidable weaponry, and dispatch them on a quest to vanquish a mysterious, unbeatable foe. Amanda Waller, a U.S. intelligence official, has decided that the only organisation that will do it—a clandestine assembly of different, vile people who have nothing to lose—will do it. Will the Suicide Squad make the decision to die trying or decide it's every man for himself after they learn they weren't handpicked to succeed but rather to be held patently responsible for their certain failure?
I, Tonya
Craig Gillespie directed and Steven Rogers wrote the 2017 black comedy film I, Tonya, a biographical mockumentary sports film. The film chronicles the life and career of American figure skater Tonya Harding, including her involvement in the 1994 assault on her rival Nancy Kerrigan. According to the film, Harding and her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, provided the "contradictory" and "totally true" interview material, implying that they are not trustworthy sources. Thus, it is up to the individual spectator to choose whether the video depicts reality or a fictionalised version created by Harding. Set in the present day, it breaches the fourth wall with mockumentary-style interviews with the protagonists that are darkly comedic. Sebastián Stan portrays Gillooly, Allison Janney portrays Harding's mother, LaVona Golden, and Margot Robbie, who also serves as producer, plays Harding. Additional cast members include Caitlin Carver, Julianne Nicholson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Bobby Cannavale.
I, Tonya tells the true story of one of the most scandalous events in sports history, which is at times absurd and humorous. Tonya Harding, a champion skater known for her defiant attitude, elevated figure skating to unprecedented heights. But her life started to fall apart under the weight of Olympic scrutiny, and it all came to a head with an accusation of assault on her fiercest competitor, unprecedented media scrutiny, and a legacy nobody would have wanted. Witness this incredible story, featuring outstanding performances by Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, and Margot Robbie, to believe it.
Mary Queen of Scots (ZEE5: On Rent and OTTplay Premium)
Josie Rourke directed the 2018 historical drama film Mary Queen of Scots, her first feature film directing credit. Beau Willimon wrote the screenplay, which is based on John Guy's 2004 biography, Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart. Saoirse Ronan plays Mary, Queen of Scots, while Margot Robbie plays Elizabeth I, her cousin. Supporting actors include Joe Alwyn, Guy Pearce, David Tennant, and Jack Lowden.
Saoirse Ronan portrays the captivating life of Mary Stuart in Mary Queen of Scots. Despite social pressure to remarry, Mary returns to Scotland to recover her rightful kingdom after being queen of France at the age of 16 and widowed at the age of 18. Margot Robbie portrays Elizabeth I as the current queen of England, yet her birth gives her a rival claim to the throne. Mary, intent on being more than just a figurehead ruler, challenges Elizabeth's authority by laying claim to the English throne. The two queens' views on marriage and having children couldn't be more different. Rivals in love and power. Both queens suffer the terrible price of power as they face betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within their own courts, ultimately driving them apart.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (JioCinema; Prime Video; ZEE5: On Rent and OTTplay Premium)
In 2019, Quentin Tarantino directed and wrote the comedy-drama picture Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. Leading the big ensemble cast are Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Leonardo DiCaprio. A failing actor and his stunt double are the protagonists of this 1969 Los Angeles film about the ever-evolving film industry and the imminent danger posed by the Tate murders.
Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood takes place in 1969 in Los Angeles, a time when the city is undergoing tremendous change. The film follows Leonardo DiCaprio's TV star Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt's veteran stunt double Cliff Booth as they navigate a business that they no longer recognise. A huge ensemble cast and many plot threads pay homage to the last days of Hollywood's golden age in the writer-director's tenth feature film.
Bombshell
Charles Randolph wrote the 2019 drama Bombshell, while Jay Roach directed it. This film, which features Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie, is based on the true story of the women who worked at Fox News and sought to bring sexual harassment allegations against CEO Roger Ailes to light. John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, and Malcolm McDowell fill supporting roles alongside Allison Janney.
Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, and John Lithgow give outstanding performances in this controversial true story about three powerful women who were news anchors for a major American network. When women became famous in their own right, they dared to challenge the man who had made them famous.
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (Netflix; JioCinema)
Cathy Yan directed and Christina Hodson wrote the 2020 superhero film Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, which is based on the DC Comics team The Birds of Prey. The eighth film in the DCEU, it is both a spin-off and a sequel to Suicide Squad (2016). Margot Robbie plays the role of Harley Quinn, and the cast also includes Ewan McGregor, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, and Jurnee Smollett-Bell. In the film, we follow Harley Quinn as she forms the Birds of Prey with Helena Bertinelli, Dinah Lance, and Renee Montoya in order to rescue Cassandra Cain from the clutches of Gotham City crime lord Roman Sionis, who threatens her after her breakup with the Joker.
Do you recall the story of the police officer, the blonde, the insane man, and the mafia princess? Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is a twisted narrative, as only Harley can tell it. The city's seedy underbelly goes into overdrive in pursuit of a girl named Cass after Roman Sionis, one of Gotham's most heinous criminals, and his cruel sidekick, Zsasz, set their sights on her. When their paths cross, the unusual quartet of Harley, Huntress, Canary, and Renee Montoya must unite to defeat Roman.
The Suicide Squad (Prime Video)
The 2021 superhero film The Suicide Squad is adapted by the DC Comics team of the same name. This film serves as the tenth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and is a spinoff sequel to Suicide Squad (2016). A stellar ensemble including Sylvester Stallone, Joel Kinnaman, Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Viola Davis, David Dastmalchian, Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, Alice Braga, and Pete Davidson graces the screen in this James Gunn-helmed feature. A number of inmates get reduced sentences after agreeing to join a special unit called the "Suicide Squad" in the film. The local government orders them to eradicate any evidence of the enormous extraterrestrial starfish Starro the Conqueror before taking over the island nation of Corto Maltese in South America.
Here you are, in America's most deadly jail, Belle Reve, also known as hell. Belle Reve holds the most evil Super-Villains, who will go to extreme lengths to escape, including joining the shadowy and very secretive Task Force X. What is today's mission-critical task? Gather a gang of villains, such as Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and the fan-favourite unstable, Harley Quinn. After that, equip them to the teeth and let them loose on the isolated island of Corto Maltese, where the enemy has already taken root. Colonel Rick Flag is the only one on the ground to keep the unit in line while they conduct a search-and-destroy mission. Federal technologists working for Amanda Waller followed them around, closely monitoring their every move. As usual, they have a second to think before going down to Waller, their teammates, or their opponents. Smart money is completely against anyone who makes bets.
Amsterdam
David O. Russell is the man behind the camera, screenplay, and production for the 2022 period mystery comedy thriller film Amsterdam. The film stars Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington. The supporting cast includes Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, and Robert De Niro. In the wake of the unexplained death of a retired US general, three friends—a doctor, a nurse, and a lawyer—reunite and set out to unravel the deed, which is based on the 1933 American political conspiracy known as the Business Plot.
Babylon (Prime Video)
Damien Chazelle penned and directed the epic historical black comedy drama Babylon in 2022. The ensemble cast includes Tobey Maguire, Max Minghella, Margot Robbie, Jovan Adepo, Jean Smart, Li Jun Li, P. J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Diego Calva, Diego Calva, Tobey Pitt, and Tobey Maguire. While Hollywood was transitioning from silent to sound pictures in the late 1920s, it followed the lives of numerous characters as they rose and fell. It follows the lives of severalBarbie (JioCinema) characters through their ascent and collapse during an early Hollywood period of unfettered decadence and depravity; the story is one of enormous ambition and outrageous excess.
Barbie (JioCinema)
Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach penned the screenplay for the 2023 fantasy comedy Barbie, which Gerwig directed. Following a string of animated features and specials based on Mattel's eponymous fashion dolls, this marks the debut of the live-action Barbie film. Following the protagonist, Margot Robbie, and her love interest, Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, on a quest for identity in the wake of an existential crisis, the film follows them as they navigate both Barbieland and the real world. Also included is some discussion on patriarchy and feminism's impact. Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, and Rhea Perlman are also part of the supporting cast. Being flawless in Barbie Land means living the dream. In the absence of a complete and utter existential crisis, that is, unless you're Ken.