The one scene that traumatised Margot Robbie: “The content is incredibly disturbing”
After her meteoric rise in 2013, Margot Robbie seemingly exploded onto the scene through her performance in The Wolf of Wall Street, despite having hustled behind the scenes for many years and eventually breaking into Hollywood. Since her colossal climb to the top of the industry, the actor now has a monopoly on the film industry through the creation of her production company Lucky Chap and leading roles in films such as Babylon, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood and Barbie, showcasing an incredibly versatility and love for cinema that has sparked her to extend her passion to the world of producing.
However, the world of fame and filmmaking is not without its challenges. The actor has experienced many ups and downs throughout her rise to the top, from invasive paparazzi photos, media speculation and difficult creative experiences, starring in projects that depict true stories and disturbing experiences that were particularly uncomfortable to film.
After the popularisation of the #MeToo movement, some studios rushed to make films that showcased stories related to the female experience, sometimes with little thought into what these stories would be or the messages they would perpetuate. Films like Promising Young Woman and Blonde were particularly damaging in the so-called feminist ideas they explored, while others were simply disappointing in how poorly made they were.
But there were many that sat somewhere in the middle mark, with the likes of Bombshell being one of many to capitalise on a fascinating true story but fail to execute it in a way that truly captures the nuance of the subject at hand. Jay Roach’s 2019 film follows the fallout of the Fox News sexual harassment scandal, and while many elements fall short, Margot Robbie’s performance is not one of them, with the actor delivering a heartbreaking performance as a journalist who is targeted by Roger Ailes.
There is one scene that most sticks out in particular, with Robbie starring alongside John Lithgow as her character is forced to lift up her skirt and becomes another victim of his grotesque abuse of power. It is a horrible moment to watch unfold in real-time, with Robbie capturing the true horrors of this work environment and the powerlessness of being trapped in a situation like this.
However, it was understandably a difficult scene to film, with Robbie saying, “John [Lithgow, who plays Ailes] and I were equally as disturbed by that scene. It was obviously an incredibly safe place on a set. I’m very grateful that I got to do that scene with John. [Director] Jay [Roach] was in the room with us every step of the way, and our crew was incredible, but the content of that scene is incredibly disturbing.”
Despite being aware that you are acting, your body often doesn’t know the difference between real and simulated versions of reality, with many actors sharing the challenges of switching off from the emotions you are portraying on screen and the negative experiences of your character that linger with you afterwards. The scene is one that gets under your skin as a viewer, and it is hard to imagine how it would feel to be in that room and recreate such a horrific experience.
