How Margot Robbie prepared for her ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ sex scene: “I was nervous… very, very nervous.”
We now know Margot Robbie as one of Hollywood’s most prominent and sought-after female actors. Still in the salad days of her career, the Aussie has collaborated with some of the most talented and critically acclaimed directors, including Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson.
Suffice it to say, Robbie is doing very well. And her success can be traced right back to her breakthrough movie, which was none other than Scorsese’s 2013 hit, The Wolf of Wall Street. Beyond the expected clout that comes from starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and taking direction from the same director as Taxi Driver and Goodfellas, Robbie proved herself before the first frame of the movie was even shot, demonstrating an ambition that continues to serve her.
During an audition for the movie, she and DiCaprio were doing some improvisation. Robbie recalled later to Harper Bazaar how she had “literally 30 seconds left in this room” and that if she didn’t “do something impressive, nothing will ever come of it.” So, how did Robbie make her mark? By leaving a literal mark on DiCaprio’s face with a fearsome slap. Despite immediately worrying afterwards that she might be “going to jail now or getting sued”, Scorsese and the actor loved it, and she got the role.
Then there was the instant early into production where, while she and DiCpario were waiting for the crew to get set up, she “pushed Leo’s head to one side and told him he was in my light.” She told E! Magazine that her audacity and assertiveness left the Wolf of Wall Street star “incredulous”, but in retrospect, it undoubtedly contributed to the palpable chemistry between the two in the film.
However, there was one moment which Robbie was less prepared for – her first “proper” sex scene. Whilst her TV credits on Neighbours and Pan Am featured some raunchiness, it didn’t compare to what was expected of her for The Wolf of Wall Street. Robbie told Vanity Fair, “I hadn’t done a proper sex scene before. I’d done scenes where it’s leading into sex or sex had just finished, but I hadn’t done a start-to-finish sex scene like I did in Wolf. That was my first.”
Understandably, considering this definitive career moment was going to be shared with DiCaprio and under the direction of Scorsese, Robbie felt the nerves getting the better of her. So, deciding to take matters into her own hands, she devised a quick plan to counter them. The actor explained the experience to BAFTA: “I’m not going to lie, I had a couple of shots of tequila before that scene because I was nervous… very, very nervous.”
Ultimately, the experience was both humbling and inspiring for Robbie, who had to maintain energy to match that of the “unstoppable force” of Scorsese and DiCaprio. “Working with Leo challenged me every single second,” she said. The challenge to keep up with him pushed me and got my acting to a level it’s never been, which is incredibly satisfying.”
