“It was the most embarrassing thing”: Before Starring With Leonardo DiCaprio, Barbie Star Margot Robbie Had to Do the Most Humiliating Job for Her Career
The rise of an Australian actress into Hollywood Tinseltown is, of course, filled with unexpected moments and setbacks. Margot Robbie started her acting journey on the TV show Neighbours which gave her a taste of fame in her home country. Since then, she has collaborated with many cinematic luminaries such as Martin Scorsese, and Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson becoming one of the industry’s most established leading actors in the process.
Notably, her appearance in Scorsese’s The Wolf of the Wall Streett changed her career trajectory forever. However, before starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, the actress had to undergo many embarrassing situations that she wouldn’t like to revisit.
Margot Robbie reflects on embarrassing Neighbours on-screen moment.
Margot Robbie who amazed us with her elegant Barbie, discussed her most embarrassing moment in an interview with BBC radio alongside her Barbie co-star Ryan Gosling.
Margot Robbie kick-started her career in 2008 on the Australian, soap opera, Neighbours. The long-running soap opera show primarily revolves around the lives, relationships, and dramas of residents of a fictional suburban city called Ramsay Street. Significantly, the series was a platform for many actors to launch their careers including the renowned Margot Robbie who had an entry role.
During the interview, Robbie revealed that during the three-year stint on the show, she was made to wear a costume that resembled a giant cigarette suit, and she described the experience as the most “ embarrassing” and ridiculous thing she had on the screen.
“I’ve looked very ridiculous…I was on Neighbours for three years, they once made me wear, like, a giant cigarette suit…it was the most embarrassing thing”.
Recalling the experience, she said her character Donna Freedman delivers a line, “I’ll make you sick, I’ll make you stink, and I’ll guarantee that nobody ever wants to kiss you,” This dialogue was part of an effort to emphasize the negative effects of smoking.
Margot Robbie played the Neighbours to break into Hollywood
Robbie had a clearer ambition to make a mark in Hollywood, and acting in Neighbours was all part of her career plan to save money and achieve the goal.
“I’d spent the last three years on ‘Neighbours’ saving my money and learning the dialect, just practicing my American accent so I could really hit the ground running when I got there, I’d saved enough money to be unemployed for like two to three years.”
She said this in the Sydney Morning Herald. Later, starring in the unfinished series Pan Am, she struggled to find a footing in the industry. Robbie then submitted the audition tape to the casting director of The Wolf of Wall Street, which led her to do one of the classier roles in Hollywood. Naomi LaPaglia became an overnight success as a result of her years of dedication and hard work in the industry.
Margot Robbie improvises audition by slapping Leonardo DiCaprio
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar Publication, she also shared a memorable same time ridiculous movement with Leonardo Dicaprio from the audition of The Wolf of the Wall Street. Robbie during the chemistry test with DiCaprio, Robbie wanted to do something different and stand out, so she and DiCaprio decided to go off script, improvising up a storm.
In one of the lines, DiCaprio’s character says to her, “You should be happy to have a husband like me. Now get over here and kiss me. however, Robbie opted to forego the kiss and instead slapped him.
Being a new face to the industry, Robbie was understandably tense and even thought that she would be out of the film due to her act.
“I’m thinking, you just hit Leonardo DiCaprio in the face. They’re going to arrest you because that’s assault. You’re definitely never going to work again, that’s for sure. They’ll probably sue you as well in case there’s a bruise on his face and he needs to film something else.”
However, Martin Scorsese was thrilled with her bold move and said, ‘That was great!’ and DiCaprio who burst into laughter, even asked her to “Hit me again!”
Wolf of the Wall Steet is streaming on Prime Video.
Source: BBC radio/ Sydney Morning Herald/ Harper’s Bazaar
