From an Olympic figure skater to a historical queen, with a villainous vixen and a doomed Hollywood starlet, Margot Robbie is running the gamut of wide-ranging roles in movies.
To celebrate the opening of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” where Robbie plays the toy doll alongside co-star Ryan Gosling, Variety ranks her 10 best performances of her career so far.
In the realm of contemporary Hollywood, Robbie has skyrocketed to the top of leading women over the past decade. With a delicate balance of blockbuster franchises and independent dramas, she continues to display her exceptional range and versatility.
Fully immersing herself in any role she takes on — whether it’s the raucous Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe in “Birds of Prey” or any of the versions of “Suicide Squad” (with or without “the”) or as a victim of abusive power in the newsroom in “Bombshell,” her bravery has been unmatched.
Beyond her acting prowess, she’s also demonstrated her commitment to cinema behind the camera with her production company LuckyChap Entertainment, which she co-founded with her husband Tom. Some of their most notable productions include “Promising Young Woman” (2020) and most recently, “Barbie.”
Robbie shows no signs of slowing down. With Oscar nominations for “I, Tonya” (2017) and “Bombshell” (2019), she seems destined for a trip (or multiple) to the Oscar podium. Read Variety’s ranking of Robbie’s 10 best film performances below.
Honorable mentions: “The Big Short” (2015); “Suicide Squad” (2016); “The Suicide Squad” (2021)
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‘Dreamland’ (2019)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Playing the complex Allison Wells, a bank robber on the run in the period drama “Dreamland,” showcases Robbie her vulnerability and ability to layer a character effortlessly.
Adopting a southern accent, she balances moments of intense drama with subtle humor that adds richness to her character’s emotional journey. Whether it’s capturing Allison’s moments of fleeting hope or the outstanding chemistry with her co-star Finn Cole, she shines in the underseen drama, proving she is a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.
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‘Z for Zachariah’ (2015)
Image Credit: ©Roadside Attractions/Courtesy Everett C / Everett Collection Robbie’s choices in a scene are often surprising in any number of her films, and the ones in the indie flick “Z for Zachariah” is no exception. As Ann, a young woman who believes she’s the last survivor following a post-apocalyptic event, she examines the effects of isolation and haunting realism.
Deeply complex, her expressive body language speaks volumes alongside her talented co-stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine as she navigates new relationships amidst the backdrop of an uncertain future. If you haven’t had the privilege of watching this gem, treat yourself.
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‘Birds of Prey’ (2020)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Cue the superhero fanboys for having the gumption to include Cathy Yan’s far superior “Birds of Prey” as Robbie’s representation of the famed villain Harley Quinn, and not either version of “Suicide Squad.”
It could be the “fantabulous” female ensemble surrounding her or the awesomely orchestrated action beats. Nonetheless, Robbie’s energetically bonkers outing abandons the serious tones of Snyder-verse and injects fun and zeal into one of the better-produced outings.
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‘Mary Queen of Scots’ (2018)
Image Credit: Parisa Tag If you were riveted by Cate Blanchett’s Oscar-nominated bravura turn as Queen Elizabeth I in the 1998 movie, don’t miss Robbie’s intricate and meticulous performance as Elizabeth in Josie Rourke’s riveting drama.
Robbie’s subtle exploration of Elizabeth’s inner turmoil and conflicted feelings are best orchestrated by her expressive eyes, allowing the viewer to connect with the monarch’s struggle between duty and desires. It all builds to the explosive meeting with her co-star Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart, and it’s easy to see why she picked up a very deserved Screen Actors Guild Award for best supporting actress (too bad Oscar didn’t follow).
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‘Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood’ (2019)
Image Credit: ©Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Co / Everett Collection In writer and director Quentin Tarantino’s look into the 1960s and 70s Los Angeles, Robbie portrays Sharon Tate, the up and coming starlet who faces a gruesome fate in real life. However, the auteur gives her a surprise ending, which makes Robbie’s work even more layered.
Infusing charisma and innocence, Tate’s tragic fate rests within the undertone of Robbie’s expressive range, demonstrated in the scene where she watches a movie that she’s starring in. The magnetism is undeniable, despite having too few lines to deliver. Her radiant presence is sprinkled across two bombastic turns from the Oscar-nominated Leonardo DiCaprio and supporting actor winner Brad Pitt. It’s a tender treat that gets better with each revisit.
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‘Barbie’ (2023)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Robbie playing the perfect Barbie doesn’t seem like a stretch to the naked eye — it’s Margot Robbie after all. However, she gives the stereotypical toy turned humanly-aware woman agency and openness that surprises audiences viewing the meta-comedy.
It also further cements the Australian as a leading actor and a fully capable comedic star who is capable of taking on just about any kind of role.
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‘Babylon’ (2022)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Col In Damien Chazelle’s elephant feces-filled dramedy, Robbie plays Nellie LaRoy, an inspired version of silent era star Clara Bow. The star entirely unloads in the role of an aspiring actress from New Jersey who parties way, way too much.
With high-powered energy and charm, the Critics Choice best actress nominee captivated and owned every ounce of her role in the divisive flick that explored Hollywood’s Golden Age. Brave, committed and tragic, Robbie’s memorable moments, such as filming the first talkie or crying for the female director on set, shows she can elevate any material, no matter how crazy everyone might think it is.
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‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013)
Image Credit: ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection In what many consider her breakout role in Martin Scorsese’s brilliant comedic epic, Robbie is electrifying as Naomi Lapaglia, the seductive and strong-willed wife of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). Her fearless nature, which embraces her physical command of the screen and intense presence, is shown with her “Daddy” revenge delivery in the baby’s room, cementing her as an undeniable force. I’d never loved a Staten Island accent so much until Naomi commanded the screen for three hours. An Oscar snub if there ever was one in the 2010s.
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‘Bombshell’ (2019)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate/Hilary B Gayle As the fictional Kayla Pospisl, a composite of several real-life women who worked at Fox News during the Roger Ailes sexual harassment scandal, Robbie is heartbreaking as she shows the character grappling with morality and guilt in the face of power.
With a transformative turn from a child-like wonder when first entering the newsroom to the deterioration in the aftermath of her abuser, she navigates the film powerfully alongside her co-stars Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and John Lithgow. She adds the crucial human touches that make Jay Roach’s drama a compelling and thought-provoking part of her career.
She picked up a deserved second Oscar nom for supporting actress (although it really should have been for lead).
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‘I, Tonya’ (2017)
Image Credit: Neon It was the role that brought Margot Robbie her first Oscar nom — but I only wish it would have been her first statuette — alongside her supporting actress-winning co-star Allison Janney.
An extraordinary range is conveyed by Robbie as the infamous figure skater Tonya Harding as she walks through the complexities of her life, from her abusive upbringing and the controversies that ultimately marred her career. Undergoing extensive research and training to portray the ice-skater in key sequences, Robbie’s resilience gains unexpected sympathy from the viewer in the mockumentary storytelling approach by scribe Steven Rogers and director Craig Gillespie.
From self-aware narrations to seamless shifts to candid, emotional moments with her co-star Sebastian Stan, it’s not easy to humanize such a hated figure. Still, Robbie achieves it and then some.