Margot Robbie is one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars today. However, even global A-listers sometimes look back on their breakout performances with a critical eye. Over a decade after making her star-making turn in Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, Robbie has confessed she wasn’t happy about it.
The actor claims she would love to “redo” the role of Naomi Lapaglia, Leonardo DiCaprio’s on-screen wife, because she feels her acting chops weren’t fully developed back then.
Margot Robbie Believes She Could Do A Lot Better Now With Naomi
Speaking to SR while promoting her upcoming film ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’, Robbie admitted that if given the chance, she’d redo her performance as Naomi because she feels she could bring much more depth to the character now. “Oh wow,” Robbie said when asked about her earlier work. “I would love to redo my role in Wolf of Wall Street just because I was so young, and I don’t think I was very good at acting back then. I think I could do a lot better now. I’d love to go back and do it better.”
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That’s a strikingly humble take, considering her portrayal of Naomi was widely praised. The film itself grossed over $407 million worldwide. Robbie’s fiery performance as Naomi not only held its own but also became one of the most memorable parts of the movie. Still, it’s easy to understand her self-criticism. At just 22 years old, Robbie was a relatively unknown Australian actress suddenly thrust into the spotlight. For any young actor, the pressure would have been immense.
For Robbie, it was both career-defining and a moment she believes she could refine if given another chance. Her audition story alone has since become Hollywood legend. Believing she was losing the role after an intense read-through, Robbie slapped DiCaprio across the face. The room reportedly went silent, and Robbie froze, convinced she had blown her chance. Instead, Scorsese and DiCaprio loved her boldness and immediately cast her. That fearlessness set the tone for her performance.
When faced with an X-rated scene, Scorsese told Robbie she could wear a robe to ease the discomfort. However, she insisted on performing fully without clothes because she felt it was truer to Naomi’s character. Looking back, it’s no wonder Robbie calls the experience a trial by fire. And while audiences loved what they saw, Robbie, with more than a decade of experience since, sees opportunities where she could have elevated the character even more.
“I Think It’s An Amazing Movie”: Margot Robbie On ‘Babylon’ Not Doing Well
Robbie’s candidness about ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ isn’t her only recent reflection. In another interview, she passionately defended Damien Chazelle’s ‘Babylon’, the 2022 film in which she starred alongside Brad Pitt. Though the film was a commercial flop and divided critics, Robbie remains proud of her work as Nellie LaRoy, a wild and tragic starlet caught in Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies.
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“I always wondered if you people were out there,” Robbie joked in an interview with Letterboxd, referring to the film’s small but devoted fanbase. “When it got slated at the time, both critically and at the box office, I was confused ’cause I think it’s an amazing movie, and one I’m very, very proud of being in. I always thought maybe this will be one of those movies that 20 years later everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God, Babylon didn’t do well at the time? That’s crazy.’”
She added, “If you love Babylon, I love you, and we think alike when it comes to movies.” Her comments highlight a theme running through Robbie’s career: dedication, self-awareness, and honesty. Today, as one of Hollywood’s most influential actors and producers, Robbie’s reflections on her early years feel almost surreal.
