The one movie character Margot Robbie always wanted to be: “I was just obsessed”
Margot Robbie is delightfully obsessive about the art form to which she has devoted her career, excitedly sharing her love for the movies and her formative memories of the medium. The actor has highlighted her love of films from all genres, carrying this quality into her work after starring in the work of Quentin Tarantino, Emerald Fennel, Greta Gerwig and Martin Scorsese, building a colourful portfolio that reflects the films she most enjoys watching.
Since the beginning of her career as a guest regular in Neighbours, Robbie has evolved her work to involve both on and off-screen, becoming an equally successful producer through the creation of her company Lucky Chap Entertainment, which has led to the creation of films such as Promising Young Woman, Barbie and I, Tonya.
By leveraging her star power by acting in independent projects that her company has produced, Robbie has been able to amplify their visibility by drawing audiences in through her presence in the films. As a result, she has created somewhat of a media empire for herself that is currently ruling the film industry, with a monopoly on all the next great projects and emerging directors who want to work with both a passionate producer and talented actor.
While her body of work reflects a diverse taste in film, something that can also be seen through the greenlit projects by her company, Robbie revealed some of her early inspirations in the industry and the characters that most influenced her creative palette.
In recent years, Robbie has played some of the most explosive and unique characters of all time, whether it be the mischievous Nellie Leroy in Babylon or Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, showing her endless depth and range as a performer, whether in more subtle roles or those that demand every inch of the silver screen.
Given her knack for playing such individualistic and assured characters, it comes as no surprise that she was influenced by one whacky character in particular, citing the importance of The Fifth Element and Leeloo in her early days of cinephilia.
Directed by Luc Besson in 1997, The Fifth Element is a cult classic film set in 2257, following a taxi driver who is unwillingly given the task of saving a young girl who is the key to human survival. Starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich and Gary Oldman, it is understandable why the niche eccentricity of this story world was such an influence on Robbie, particularly the character of Leeloo and her on-screen charisma.
When describing this, Robbie said, “I think the first character I really wanted to be from a film was Leeloo from the Fifth Element. I was just obsessed with the Fifth Element and that character in particular”.
Robbie is currently starring in Emerald Fennel’s highly anticipated Wuthering Heights adaptation, with Jacob Elordi reprising the lead role alongside her. The film is the next genre-bending venture from Lucky Chap Entertainment, and it appears as though the sky is the limit for Robbie and her creative ventures.
