The TV advert that changed Margot Robbie’s life: “It gave me that first little glimmer”
When Margot Robbie was just 22, she appeared in a major supporting role in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, which allowed her to assert her newfound place in Hollywood. Playing the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s protagonist, Robbie’s portrayal of Naomi saw her switch up her Australian accent for a New York one, morphing into an ultra-glamorous housewife for the part.
Robbie attempted to assert her interest in her craft early on, suggesting the nude scene – in which she appears fully naked – on her own accord. She told The Telegraph, “The whole point of Naomi is that her body is her only form of currency in this world. So when Marty [Scorsese] was trying to help me out and said in the scene where she seduces Jordan, perhaps I could have a robe on, I said she wouldn’t. She has to be naked. She’s laying her cards on the table”.
It instantly became clear that Robbie wasn’t one to blindly follow instructions; she has always wanted to be super involved in the construction of her character and the process of creating the film she is appearing in. It’s not a surprise, then, that the actor started up her own production company, LuckyChap Entertainment, in 2014, championing predominantly female-led stories directed by women.
Robbie has quickly ascended the ranks of Hollywood to become one of the most well-known stars, appearing in everything from Suicide Squad as Harley Quinn to Barbie as the titular Mattel doll, impressing critics with her dedication to giving the plastic toy some humanity. She has picked up three Academy Award nominations so far, as well as earning accolades from other institutions, such as the Critics’ Choice Awards.
However, before Robbie reached Hollywood, she had dreams of becoming a star, but she wasn’t sure that someone like her could get there. Born in Australia, the actor spent the first few years of her career appearing in local productions before earning a longstanding role on the soap opera Neighbours.
It wasn’t until 2013, five years after her debut acting role, that she broke through into Hollywood. While it might have felt as though she was never going to be more than a soap actor, Robbie had a source of motivation that inspired her. In an interview with Vogue, the actor revealed how a certain television advert always stuck with her and reminded her that she could go far.
“My first memory of Chanel No. 5 is the Nicole Kidman commercial directed by Baz Luhrmann. I was probably 14 and Moulin Rouge was so big. I remember the commercial so vividly. And because Nicole is Australian, it gave me that first little glimmer of like, ‘Oh, maybe these dreams are within reach. Someone else from my country did it. Maybe I can too.’”
Kidman also started her career in various Australian productions when she was young, eventually crossing over to Hollywood in the early 1990s with a role alongside Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder. From there, she quickly rose to acclaim in the same way Robbie has, proving that it is possible to become a star, no matter where you’re from.
