Emerald Fennell on why Margot Robbie is a god of cinema: “An otherworldly power”
Sometimes, an actor transcends the role of a performer and becomes something more entirely, existing on a level of pure fanfare and utter adoration.
We shouldn’t idolise people to the point of such intense worship, because then we simply put them on a hierarchical level above us that is unjust. Being the creator of good art doesn’t make you any more worthy of affection and praise than someone who builds houses or stacks supermarket shelves. Celebrity is a truly bizarre concept.
Yet, it’s something that has long pervaded Hollywood, with many actors causing a kind of sensation akin to religious fervour among fans. From young Marlon Brando to a floppy-haired Leonardo DiCaprio, many celebrities have become acting idols in the service of both their screen presence and their looks, standing as heartthrobs, god-like, all-powerful titans of the silver screen.
In recent years, few stars have had quite the impact as someone like Margot Robbie, who instantly captivated audiences when she appeared in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, the Australian actor delivering an impeccable Brooklyn accent. From there, Hollywood couldn’t get enough of her, and Robbie became an instant star, moving from modest success in her home country as a soap star to a full-on Hollywood icon.
Her role as Harley Quinn in 2016’s Suicide Squad elevated her to even greater stardom, soon earning her first Oscar nomination for her performance as the disgraced ice skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya. There’s just something about Robbie, who can morph into a wide variety of characters on screen while maintaining a positive persona off screen, her beaming smile carrying her through press tours with a likeable sensibility that has allowed her to cultivate a dedicated following.
It’s this very star quality, paired with her versatility – whether she’s playing Barbie or Sharon Tate – that has attracted various filmmakers to working with her. In fact, Emerald Fennell, whose controversial 2023 film Saltburn was produced by Robbie, cites the actor’s magnetic power as her reason for casting her in her latest film, Wuthering Heights.
Just like Saltburn, Wuthering Heights is gearing up to be a divisive piece of cinema, with Fennell opting for shock value in a bid to transform Emily Brönte’s novel into something extra perverted. Many fans have been up in arms over the trailer alone, with casting, costume, and production design choices clearly going against the book. This might not be a particularly faithful adaptation of the story, but Fennell knew she had to make it – and she needed Robbie to complete her vision.
She told the BBC, “It needed somebody like Margot, who’s a star, not just an incredible actress — which she is — but somebody who has a power, an otherworldly power, a Godlike power, that means people lose their minds.”
It’s rather telling that Fennell has had to rely on star power when casting the role of Cathy, a character that Robbie is, at least canonically, far too old to play. She is meant to look rather untamed, with dark hair and eyes, while Robbie appears in the trailer with blonde hair, looking considerably older than a teenager.
Clearly, when a star has as much “Godlike power” as Robbie, they can get away with a lot more, which certainly seems to be the case with this casting fiasco. A good movie shouldn’t have to rely on a lead actor who people will “lose their minds” over.
