“I’d rather watch the first half”: Why Margot Robbie stops watching ‘The Notebook’ halfway through
There is an infamous scene in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in which Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie, props her (bare) feet up in the cinema and watches her own performance as it flickers on the big screen. It’s a joyous and life-affirming moment that captures the miracle of filmmaking and the wonder of losing yourself in a story. For Robbie, this experience was not too far from her own trajectory in the film industry, with the actor recalling her early memories of visiting the cinema as a kid and sitting on the steps to smell the popcorn, watching as many films as she could.
With a headstrong and dedicated approach to her craft, she hustled her way from Hooters commercials to a regular role on Neighbours to, eventually, starring in a Martin Scorsese film in 2013, which took her career to celestial heights and led to the creation of her production company Lucky Chap. The studio is now one of the leading forces in the industry, helming productions such as Barbie, Saltburn and I, Tonya.
The actor is now one of the most sought-after performers in the industry, going on to star in Babylon, Asteroid City, Barbie and the upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation. However, her roots are very humble and earnest, with Robbie experiencing a long and slow rise to the top that is hard to comprehend given how hugely successful she is now.
Much like her character in Babylon, in which she plays silent film star, Nellie LeRoy, Robbie has always had a love for the medium, which is perhaps why she has remained so defiant in her pursuit of working in the industry and has led to such captivating performances. When describing her love for film, she has highlighted projects such as Dr Strangelove, Harold and Maude, Cabaret, Cry-Baby and Kill Bill: Volume One, showing an expansive and diverse taste in cinema.
She has since worked with many of the most successful directors of our time, including Greta Gerwig, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and Damien Chazelle. However, while her love of film persists, there is one project that she still cannot bring herself to finish: describing the heartbreaking quality of The Notebook, which remains one of the most affecting romantic dramas of all time.
When discussing the film, Robbie said, “I would never not cry in The Notebook. It doesn’t matter how many times I see it. I bawl my eyes out. In fact, I stop halfway before it gets to the sad stuff. I’d rather watch the first half 50 times over.”
The film has a similar effect on many audience members, with some people underestimating the power of this genre and the way it can unexpectedly tug on our heartstrings and remind us of our own romantic failures and losses. Despite being known for being a watcher and ferocious cinephile, much like many of the characters she has played, there will always be some films that manage to escape us, and for Robbie, The Notebook is one that perhaps will always remain shrouded in mystery.
