“Honey, you don’t become a star.”
Although Margot Robbie’s performance in Damien Chazelle’s Babylon didn’t earn her another Oscar nod, it did serve as further evidence of her talent as one of the best actors of her time. Martin Scorsese’s 2013 black comedy The Wolf of Wall Street helped Robbie gain notoriety, and he hasn’t stopped since.
The Australian actor will participate in Greta Gerwig’s eagerly anticipated Barbie adaption this year, giving her resume yet another noteworthy and lucrative undertaking. Barbie appears to be a surefire hit that will eventually join her many other critically acclaimed films.
10. ‘Bombshell’ (2019)
Three women are followed in Jay Roach’s Bombshell as they expose Fox CEO Roger Ailes as a sexual abuser. While Robbie plays Kayla Pospisil, a fictional character created for the movie, Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman portray fictionalized versions of Megyn Kelly and Rachel Carlson.
Like many other real-life event-based films, Bombshell garnered largely favorable reviews. Some criticized the way it handled the news, claiming that it sensationalized it. Robbie and Theron were nominated for Oscars for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively, for their performances. Nevertheless, Theron, Kidman, and Robbie got high praise for their work.
9. ‘About Time’ (2013)
About Time is a pretty distinctive addition to the rom-com subgenre because it combines romance and science fiction. Domhnall Gleeson plays Tim, a character with time-traveling skills, in the movie. As played by Oscar candidate Rachel McAdams, he uses them to win Mary, the girl of his dreams, but his antics eventually catch up with him. Tim has a thing on Robbie’s character, Charlotte, who is a friend of Tim’s sister.
The attraction of About Time resides in the fact that it is more drama than humor. With Gleeson and McAdams’ strong performances serving as its foundation, the movie is a serious and frequently very moving examination of love, time, and regret. Critics agreed, giving About Time favorable reviews and praising the major actors in particular.
8. ‘Suite Francaise’ (2014)
Following The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie co-starred in Saul Dibb’s war drama Suite Francaise a year later. During the German occupation of France in World War II, the movie explores the unexpected relationship between Lucile, a French woman played by Oscar candidate Michelle Williams, and Bruno Von Flak, a German soldier played by Mattias Schoenaerts. Robbie plays Celine, Lucile’s next-door neighbor who divulges an important information.
Critics gave Suite Francaise favorable reviews, praising both the cast’s acting and the film’s tasteful handling of the romance. The movie had a broad release in the UK, but it had its US premiere as a Lifetime movie.
7. ‘Z for Zachariah’ (2015)
Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor were Robbie’s co-stars in Craig Zobel’s post-apocalyptic film Z for Zachariah from 2015. The main character of the movie is a lady who survives a worldwide apocalypse by herself on a remote farm. The appearance of two strangers who compete for her attention disrupts her existence.
One of the best small-scale post-apocalyptic films is Z for Zachariah. The actor Robbie’s subtle yet potent portrayal of resistance and optimism propels the movie along. In addition to the writing and ideas of the movie, critics lauded her performance and the chemistry she shared with Ejiofor and Pine.
6. ‘Birds of Prey’ (2020)
Robbie commands attention and radiates brilliance in her second appearance as Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn is followed in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) as she grieves over her split with the Joker. As the teenage Cassandra Cain is being threatened by the criminal Roman Sionis, Harley joins forces with three other ladies.
Birds of Prey received high marks from critics for its humor, action sequences, and Robbie’s portrayal. The movie’s R-rating and vibrant, playful tone were considered as a departure from earlier DCEU offerings. It earned mixed reviews from viewers and flopped at the box office.
5. ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013)
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street, which charts his ascent and decline as a New York stockbroker. Jordan’s stunning second wife, Naomi Lapaglia, who stands by his side during the most tumultuous times of his life, is portrayed by Robbie.
The Wolf of Wall Street was a movie office triumph and earned favorable reviews from reviewers for its uncensored glimpse into Belfort’s extreme hedonism. One of the five Oscar nominations for the movie went to DiCaprio at the 2014 event. Robbie’s performance received a lot of attention as well, with many describing it as one of the movie’s highlights. Robbie’s breakthrough movie, The Wolf of Wall Street, catapulted her to prominence.
4. ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ (2019)
For Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 historical comedy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Robbie and DiCaprio got back together. Brad Pitt co-stars in the movie, which follows the career of aging actor Rick Dalton as he negotiates the shifting Hollywood landscape in 1969. In the days preceding the Tate murders, Robbie portrays a fictitious Sharon Tate.
Critics gave Once Upon a Time in Hollywood rave reviews and described it as Tarantino’s love letter to the 1960s. Pitt even won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Pitt’s writing garnered high praise, as did the performances of the film’s three main actors. But several reviewers disagreed with how Tate and Bruce Lee were portrayed in the movie, while others thought it presented a narrow image of Hollywood.
3. ‘The Big Short’ (2015)
The Big Short, directed by Adam McKay, boasts a cast that includes Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, and Brad Pitt. In the years preceding the collapse of the housing market in 2007, it follows three different stories. Selena Gomez and Robbie, two celebrities who make cameo appearances in the movie, break the fourth wall to teach financial principles to the audience.
Though The Big Short earned favorable reviews, Robbie’s scene, in which she is seen having a bath and drinking champagne, sparked criticism from viewers who thought it was sexist. The movie was nonetheless praised for its humor, tone, wit, and the cast members’ performances. Bale in particular received a lot of attention and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
2. ‘The Suicide Squad’ (2021)
James Gunn provided Robbie with her third appearance as Harley Quinn. The Suicide Squad centers on a new iteration of the titular squad as they infiltrate the island of Corto Maltese on a covert operation, and the actor is a part of the film’s enormous cast. The only survivor of the Squad’s first disastrous mission is Robbie’s Harley.
For its unbridled humor, action, and the new cast, which included Idris Elba, John Cena, and Daniel Melchior, The Suicide Squad won almost universal acclaim. Robbie’s performance received acclaim as well, with critics complimenting her escape scene to Louis Prima’s “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody” in particular.
- ‘I, Tonya’ (2017)
Robbie portrays disgraced former professional skater Tonya Harding in Craig Gillespie’s film I, Tonya. The movie follows her turbulent relationship with Jeff Gillooly, who is portrayed by Sebastian Stan, her early years with her mother Allison Janney, and her involvement in the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan.
Critics lauded I, Tonya as one of the best true-crime films of the new millennium, praising it universally. Robbie received praise for her portrayal and was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar. Janney won the 2018 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and Tatiana S. Riegel’s editing garnered a third nomination for the movie.
