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From humble beginnings to the biggest movies in the world, Margot Robbie has done it all. We rank all of them from worst to best.
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00:00It can be genuinely difficult to describe Margot Robbie without coming across as exaggerating or
00:05hyperbolic. She has one of the most recognisable faces working in Hollywood. She is supremely
00:10talented and has a habit of stealing not only scenes but entire films. There have been powerhouse
00:16blockbusters, huge critical and commercial flops and everything in between in Margot Robbie's
00:22extensive back catalogue. But no matter what, she typically tends to be one of the best things
00:27about them. So with that in mind, I'm Ellie for WhatCulture here with every Margot Robbie movie
00:32ranked from worst to best.
00:35Number 26. Vigilante
00:37Before Margot Robbie broke into Hollywood, she featured in two low-budget movies from Australian
00:42filmmaker Ash Aaron. Very low budget. The first of these was Vigilante in 2008, in which she played
00:49Cassandra, the wife of Luke, who was attacked and assaulted. The rest of the film is a by-the-numbers
00:55revenge flick, but the story, the dialogue, the acting and just about everything else make
01:00it difficult to sit through. At least it was the first step on the film ladder for Margot
01:04Robbie. But that's about the only positive you can take from it.
01:07Number 25. I See You
01:09One year after Vigilante came I See You, another collaboration between Margot Robbie and Ash
01:15Aaron. This time, the future megastar played the lead role of Tristan Waters, one of three
01:21characters who spy on their neighbour only to be stalked by him in return. There are exactly
01:25the same issues with ICU as with Vigilante, though more Margot Robbie on screen puts the
01:31former ahead. It is far from her best performance, as is to be expected, but she is the only person
01:37on screen who looks as though she is actually there to act, and though the director was not
01:41above using her for gratuitous sex appeal, Robbie did the best that she could with what she
01:46was given. Number 24. Suicide Squad
01:49Every now and then, incredible performances can get trapped in terrible movies that simply
01:54didn't deserve them. Margot Robbie deserved better than David Ayer's Suicide Squad, and
01:59David Ayer's Suicide Squad damn sure didn't deserve Margot Robbie. As Harley Quinn, Robbie's
02:05performance instantly became legendary. Almost overnight, the character was everywhere. You couldn't
02:10move at Halloween without seeing a handful of the psychotic killer, and she was by far the
02:15best aspect of this disappointing DCEU outing. The film did its level best to try and drag
02:21Robbie and Harley down with it, with more than a few shameless shots that were there for no
02:25other reason than sex appeal. But even so, her performance rose above and stood out for
02:30all the right reasons. Harley was insane, she was funny, she was compelling, and she even managed
02:36to be sympathetic within it all. Back in the early days of the DCEU, Harley Quinn was arguably
02:41the most popular character in the franchise right next to Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, but
02:46she was trapped within one of the worst comic book movies in recent memory.
02:50Number 23. Terminal
02:52When watching Terminal, it's easy to see how Margot Robbie's performance as Harley Quinn
02:57influenced her casting as psychotic twins Annie and Bonnie. There's a similar vibe, although
03:02the twins are more cerebral and calculating, and Robbie is easily the best part about the movie,
03:07even if her English accent is far from flawless. Terminal itself aimed for a neo-noir thriller
03:13surrounding the lives of a handful of contract killers, but never quite got off the ground thanks
03:18to poor dialogue and a frustratingly uninteresting story that couldn't be saved by what was supposed
03:23to be a shocking twist towards the end. Like many of the entries that will follow on this list,
03:28Robbie's performance is the brightest shining light in Terminal, but unfortunately not bright
03:33enough to save the uninspiring feature. Number 22. The Legend of Tarzan
03:38There are plenty of movies that have attempted to retell classic stories with a twist, usually
03:43taking on something of a darker, grittier angle. See the likes of King Arthur, The Legend of the Sword
03:49or Hercules. The Legend of Tarzan is one of them, and like most, it fails to recapture the magic of what
03:55came before, or add something different enough to make it feel fresh or even particularly necessary.
04:01Even in spite of a stellar cast featuring Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz,
04:07Jaimon Honsu, and of course, Margot Robbie, David Yates' 2016 outing is rather forgettable.
04:13Far from the deepest of characters Robbie has ever brought to the screen, it truly feels as though
04:18she could play Tarzan's Jane in her sleep. Thankfully, she has risen far above the role of
04:23the cliche love interest since 2016. Number 21. Slaughterhouse Rules
04:28When you think of horror comedy starring Simon Pegg, you'd immediately go to the Cornetto trilogy.
04:33Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End are all far superior to 2018's Slaughterhouse Rules,
04:39in which a fracking project underneath a posh boarding school releases the monsters that live
04:44underneath it, and which fails to hit the mark in both the horror and comedy categories.
04:48As a tiny appearance, seeing Margot Robbie's face on screen is a fun surprise that stands out as one
04:54of the better moments in the film, as she plays an old flame of Meredith's that he is trying to reconcile
04:59with. Ultimately, however, her role is little more than a zoom-cool cameo, and though it momentarily
05:04buoys the struggling movie, it's not enough to have any real impact. Number 20. Goodbye Christopher
05:10Robin Such is the star power and ability of Margot Robbie, most of the movies she has appeared in have
05:16leaned heavily on her performance. And why wouldn't they? She is one of those actors who tends to make
05:21better anything she appears in. However, Goodbye Christopher Robin is slightly different in that
05:26the story very much surrounds A.A. Milne and his ultimately strained relationship with his son.
05:32Though she has her moments, the film wouldn't be too different if Robbie's Daphne, wife of Milne,
05:37were to be removed. The movie itself is a powerful biopic that poignantly treads through the pitfalls of
05:43celebrity and even emotional manipulation, before a heartwarming reconciliation that didn't actually
05:49happen in truth. Number 19. Dreamland Dreamland is a movie that arguably more so than ever needs
05:56Margot Robbie's charisma and charm, and not to mention her best accent to date, to lift it from
06:01a waste of time halfway to enjoyable. While on the hunt from the law after robbing a bank,
06:06Alison Wells ultimately finds protection in the form of Eugene Evans. The two fall for each other
06:12while on the run as the latter falls deeper into the former's world. But while the two actors enjoy a
06:17strong chemistry on screen, the film needed more. Almost as something of an homage to the likes of
06:22Bonnie and Clyde, instead with Robbie's Alison taking the lead rather than her male counterpart,
06:28Dreamland brings to the table some truly beautiful cinematography, but frustratingly little in the
06:33way of substance. Two characters falling in love under difficult circumstances isn't enough to make a
06:38compelling film on its own. Number 18. Peter Rabbit and Peter Rabbit 2 The Runaway
06:44Beatrix Potter and her Peter Rabbit works have been beloved British institutions for centuries,
06:50and as such, any movie adaptations were going to be automatically met with a certain amount of
06:55skepticism. Being held as a far too modern take on the character, and deviating too far from the
07:01original creation, Peter Rabbit and Peter Rabbit 2 The Runaway have seen their share of hate.
07:06However, as a box office hit, the franchise clearly won over the children to which it was aimed,
07:12even if it wasn't so successful in other demographics. Margot Robbie's role as Flopsy
07:17doesn't allow her to stretch any kind of acting muscles, as you would expect, and neither does
07:22her narration. As a relatively small part of the franchise, she at least offers small glimpses of
07:27cheeky comic relief, even if the films themselves aren't quite as charming as intended.
07:32Number 17. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
07:35As a movie boasting as potentially dangerous a premise as a comedy revolving around the war in
07:41Afghanistan, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot could have been a lot worse. However, at the same time,
07:47it could have been a lot better. It feels like the premise alone should have made the film more
07:51memorable than it ultimately became. The plot revolves around Tina Fey's Kim Baker, a reporter who
07:57moves to the war-torn country on an assignment and ultimately loves what she does despite the
08:02subject she is covering and the difficulties faced as a woman. Margot Robbie's involvement
08:06comes as a friend, but also as journalistic competition, as Tanya goes behind Kim's back
08:12for her own job. It's a typically strong performance from Robbie as she walks the line
08:16between comedy and drama better than anyone else in the film. If only the Australian twang in her London
08:22accent wasn't too difficult to ignore. Number 16. Focus
08:26There are certain things that have come to be expected from any Margot Robbie appearance,
08:31and among the likes of stealing any scene she is in and charming the hell out of anyone watching
08:35is the fact that she always seems to have incredible chemistry with whoever she shares the screen with.
08:41A year before they came together in Suicide Squad, Robbie and Will Smith led Focus. It's not the most
08:46memorable of movies, but it's a fun couple of hours with twists upon twists upon twists, arguably too
08:52many twists, propelled in the most part by the two powerhouse actors. Nicky is a con man who takes
08:58the inexperienced Jess under his wing only to split and ultimately reunite three years later. Their
09:04relationship is at the core of the film, and the cons they pull are certainly fun, but it is Robbie who
09:09steals the show, as usual. With Jess, the actor offers the full range from young and naive through to
09:15powerful and confident femme fatale, with a lot of vulnerability thrown in for good measure. It's a
09:20performance that outshines the rest of this fun, but flawed popcorn flick. Number 15. Sweet Francaise
09:26The forbidden love angle is as old as time, and they don't come more forbidden than between a
09:31German soldier and an oppressed villager in Nazi-occupied France. It makes for an incredibly powerful
09:37story. When the Nazis invade the villagers' homes in Sol Dib's Sweet Francaise, Bruno Van Falk slowly falls in
09:44love with Lucille, who against the very reasonable and understandable objections of her mother-in-law,
09:49Madame Angélia, falls in love right back. Margot Robbie only brings to life a small supporting role
09:54as Céline, one of Madame Angélia's tenants. It's a solid if unspectacular performance, as instead this
10:01movie is purely that of Michelle Williams, one of the only people in Hollywood who would be able to
10:06steal the show from Robbie even if the latter had a larger role. Though the picture fell short of
10:11its Oscar expectations, it is a strong addition to the wartime romance genre.
10:16Number 14. Amsterdam
10:18Initially touted as a potential Oscar winner, with an ensemble cast that could make literally any other
10:24film in history jealous, the movie quite famously failed to live up to its lofty budget and expectations.
10:30The story revolves around three friends who get framed for murder in a story that couldn't decide
10:35whether it wanted to be a wacky comedy or a serious social commentary. There were plenty of harsh
10:40reviews for Amsterdam upon its release, with the inconsistent tone, uninspired direction,
10:45and poor script in particular coming under fire. Not one single bad word was aimed at Margot Robbie
10:51though, as she and Christian Bale were easily and unsurprisingly the highlights. Though not what was
10:57necessarily expected, as it fell short of being another American hustle from David O. Russell,
11:02Bale and Robbie in particular make Amsterdam worth a watch, though probably just the once.
11:07Number 13. Asteroid City
11:10Wes Anderson has, over the years, established a certain and unmistakable style to his movies that
11:16simply can't be emulated or found anywhere else. As per usual, you have to really buy into said
11:22eccentricity and straight up weirdness to enjoy Asteroid City. Behind the whimsy and incredible
11:27art style, Anderson is still typically able to tackle heavy themes, and Asteroid City is no different.
11:33In this case, it's uncertainty and battling with what can't be controlled, framed in such a way like
11:39an actor in a play not understanding what the play is about, but having to carry on anyway.
11:44Lost in a sea of famous faces and Oscar winners is Margot Robbie's cameo appearance. The story is told
11:50on two different levels, as a play and as a TV documentary surrounding the making of the play.
11:56Robbie almost bridges the gap between the two framing devices as the actress who played the wife of
12:01Augie Steenbeck until her scene was cut. Jones Hall, the actor who played Steenbeck in the play,
12:07listened to her run her lines, and the face of uncertainty seems to find some comfort.
12:12Anderson has a history of casting huge actors for minor yet important parts,
12:16and Robbie's few minutes on screen showed why this is such a good idea.
12:20Number 12. Mary, Queen of Scots
12:23Historical figures are never easy roles to take on,
12:26and Margot Robbie playing Elizabeth I in Mary, Queen of Scots was absolutely no different.
12:31Granted, this particular movie gave itself an immediate uphill battle thanks to some rather
12:36hefty inaccuracies in the story, but portraying the Queen of England was always going to be tough.
12:41Ultimately, the film is about both Robbie's Queen Elizabeth I and Saoirse Ronan's titular Mary,
12:46Queen of Scots, as two powerful women navigating ruling a masculine world. It's quite fitting then
12:52that both actors' performances are easily the best thing about it. There are plenty of issues
12:57throughout the exposition-heavy story that make its two-hour runtime feel like a hell of a lot
13:01longer than it is. However, the payoff of the two women finally meeting after being kept separate for
13:07the bulk of the picture is worth the wait. Displaying strength, vulnerability, fear, and yet
13:12courage, the story anchors on the meeting that both Robbie and Ronan pour everything into.
13:18A character-driven story such as this needed to make certain that its casting was flawless,
13:22and thankfully, it succeeded.
13:24Number 11. Z for Zachariah
13:27In a movie with a cast list just three names long, there really is nowhere to hide, particularly when
13:32one of them is the uber-popular Chris Pine and another is Chiwetel Ejiofor, one of the most
13:37constantly solid performers in the business. And yet, Margot Robbie never looks out of place for even a
13:43beat in Z for Zachariah. In fact, of the three, she is arguably the most compelling, which is truly
13:48saying something. Tensions run at an impossible level from start to finish when you throw the last
13:53three people alive into an apocalyptic love triangle, with underlying themes of religious differences
13:58and alcoholism. It's an intriguing exploration of human nature that is completely and utterly
14:04reliant on the three actors on screen. Each one puts in an outstanding performance, but it's hard to look
14:09past Margot Robbie's role as Anne Burden at the center of everything as the piece's MVP.
14:15Number 10. The Suicide Squad
14:17After James Gunn was fired by Marvel, DC wasted no time in picking the director up for a new Suicide
14:24Squad movie that didn't quite fully fit in either the sequel or reboot category. It was a bit of both,
14:30but arguably the most important thing was that Margot Robbie was brought back. As Harley Quinn,
14:34she was easily the best part of the first outing five years prior, and arguably the entire DCEU at
14:40that point. Though her supporting characters were better, the story was better, and the overall movie
14:46was better, Robbie was still easily the best part of the Suicide Squad as well. Though it was a team
14:52story with the likes of Idris Elba, John Cena, and Joel Kinnaman playing hugely important roles, there were
14:58times when this felt more like a Harley Quinn film, and arguably one of James Gunn's best decisions was to put
15:04her at the front and center of the entire thing. Harley was away from the rest of the team for a
15:09while, which allowed her to shine by herself, and she proved once again that she was a badass who
15:14needed no rescue. Aside from having some of the funniest moments, she also was the heart of the
15:20whole film. Number 9. Birds of Prey
15:22After becoming a hit as the lone highlight of Suicide Squad, and before stealing the show once again
15:27in The Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie was rightly given her own solo Harley Quinn movie. The ridiculously
15:33titled Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn was soon retitled to just Birds
15:40of Prey, but though her name was dropped from the title, make no mistake that this was her film.
15:46Breaking free of The Suicide Squad and of The Joker, a point that was driven home in spectacular fashion,
15:52allowed for a different side of the character to be seen. The protective, vulnerable, and wholesome
15:57side of Harley was on show, but absolutely none of the bat-crazy wonderfulness that made her so
16:02popular in the first place was sacrificed. This was Harley at her most chaotic and her most eccentric,
16:08going up against Ewan McGregor's unnervingly compelling Black Mask, and while Harley had to
16:13be diluted somewhat to fit into both Suicide Squad ensembles, here she could flourish like never before
16:19or since. Ultimately, the movie suffered from releasing at the height of a pandemic and from
16:24poor marketing in general, and it really did deserve more of an audience.
16:288. Bombshell Bombshell was designed to offer a scathing
16:32look at the very real accusations from several women working at Fox News of sexual harassment
16:37by its founder and CEO Roger Ailes. Add in the star power of Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman,
16:44and Margot Robbie, and the film had the makings of something big. What was ultimately released was a
16:48heart-hitting piece based in and around the allegations made, though it failed to go deeper
16:53into the gritty realms as promised. Bombshell is about empowerment, certainly, but it never gets
16:58further than skimming the surface of the sexual assault at the heart of the subject. It could have
17:03gone so much further. To call Bombshell tame would perhaps be a little harsh, however. It feels as
17:08though the talent on screen could have been used for a further exploration into such a real issue.
17:13That being said, it is still a strong movie in no small part thanks to the performances of all three
17:19lead women, to the surprise of absolutely no one. In particular, Margot Robbie is at the top of her
17:25game, receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and it's not hard to see why.
17:307. Babylon
17:32Alongside Amsterdam, Babylon was Margot Robbie's other 2022 film, and again was a box office bomb.
17:38Also, like Amsterdam, what was supposed to be another Oscar hit as Damien Chazelle's follow-up
17:44to La La Land ultimately fell far short of his expectations. As something of a love letter to
17:49Hollywood, the first of two such films that will appear on this list, Babylon followed the rise and
17:54fall of several characters, including Robbie's Nelly Leroy, as the world of film ushered in a new era in
18:00the 1920s. However, it ultimately felt like less a love letter and more an indictment of the Hollywood
18:06culture, instead highlighting depravity and debauchery rather than its glory. That being said, it's more
18:12thanks to falling shy of its incredibly lofty expectations than anything actually on screen that
18:18Babylon has been labelled such a flop. The over three-hour runtime doesn't help its cause either.
18:23However, if you watch it for what it is and not for what it's supposed to be, and simply enjoy the chaos
18:28and commitment that both Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt bring, then it can be a damn enjoyable, unique
18:34experience.
18:356. About Time
18:37With writing credits on the likes of Notting Hill, the Bridget Jones film series, and Love Actually to
18:43his name, Richard Curtis is one of the biggest names in the romantic comedy genre. It's not
18:48surprising in the least, then, that 2013's About Time was another huge success and feather in the
18:53man's cap. The premise is a little more out there than Curtis's previous work, as Donal Gleeson's
18:59Tim Lake finds out that all of the men in his family have the ability to time travel and thus
19:04he uses this newly learned skill to try to improve his life. As expected, it is utterly charming and
19:10certainly doesn't lack in the comedy aspect, while Gleeson is a perfect fit, as is rom-com legend Rachel
19:16McAdams. Being one of her earliest acting credits and coming before she became a household name,
19:21Margot Robbie's involvement is minimal, but crucial. She plays Tim's first love interest,
19:26for whom he initially goes back in time for before realising the consequences and butterfly effect
19:31of his actions. Realistically, her role was to be fallen in love with, which she's basically been
19:36doing effortlessly for over a decade now.
19:385. The Big Short
19:40The Big Short brought together an impressive ensemble cast to tell the story of how a handful of people
19:45saw the housing crisis of 2008 coming. Naturally, with a story like this, there was a
19:50lot of jargon and concepts that the mainstream audience just wouldn't understand. Enter Margot
19:56Robbie. Ryan Gosling's Jared Vanette introduces her in a voiceover to explain the concept of
20:02subprime mortgages, and that she did in a bubble bath with a glass of champagne. It was hilarious,
20:07and then she was gone, never to be seen in the film again. The movie itself is outstanding,
20:12with a wonderful cast. However, no matter how good Gosling, Christian Bale, or Brad Pitt were,
20:18Margot Robbie's scene arguably stole the whole show. There was no real acting involved,
20:22she wasn't playing a character. She merely showed up and explained what was likely confusing
20:27audiences watching. But she was compelling, and that truly shows that her talent knows no bounds.
20:334. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
20:35There is some tough competition, as the director has some incredibly strong and influential movies to his
20:41name. But Once Upon a Time in Hollywood may be Quentin Tarantino's most popular work. He has
20:46gone on record to say it is his own personal favorite, and it's easy to see why. This effort
20:51is something of a love letter to the movie industry, while telling an amended version of the events
20:56surrounding Sharon Tate and the Charles Manson murders of the 1960s. It has everything you could
21:02want from a Tarantino flick, led by the three-headed powerhouse of Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio,
21:07and Margot Robbie. Robbie's appearance in the film is a strange one, as she actually has very little
21:12screen time, particularly when compared to that of Pitt and DiCaprio. However, being on screen for
21:17around half an hour of the almost three-hour runtime allowed Robbie to show exactly what she could do
21:22with both limited time and dialogue. She is captivating and spellbinding, even when she doesn't
21:28have much to say, and there are few greater testaments to her unrivaled talent than her portrayal of
21:34Sharon Tate. Number three, Barbie. Could anyone have really predicted what a smash hit and cultural
21:40phenomenon Barbie would turn out to be in the summer of 2023? It could easily have been a cheap movie
21:46based around a toy, but Barbie told a powerful story with a real message, balanced perfectly with
21:51the wacky and funny side of things. Ryan Gosling's Ken grabbed many of the headlines, and looking back,
21:57it would be hard to see anyone else in the role. His comedic chops alone served him well,
22:02but like he said in the movie, there is no Ken without Barbie. Margot Robbie may have been the
22:08obvious choice for a stereotypical Barbie, but she more than backs this up with a performance
22:12full of emotion, heart and vulnerability that encompassed everything the film was trying to say.
22:18It's a testament to what Greta Gerwig and co-created, that Barbie could feature something
22:22as ludicrous as Barbie Land, but tackle real issues with such grace and eloquence at the same time.
22:28While it received a handful of Oscar nominations,
22:30the fact that both Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie were overlooked for Best Director and Best Actress
22:35respectively is just criminal. 2. The Wolf of Wall Street
22:40Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio have collaborated together on a number of projects,
22:45and The Wolf of Wall Street is up there with the best of them. The story of Jordan Belfort's
22:50rise and fall from grace was brought to the screen in a unique and utterly compelling fashion.
22:54Realistically, DiCaprio's character is not one that anyone should be rooting for or laughing with.
23:00The movie glorifies every kind of depravity and illicit crime it could manage,
23:04and yet is sheer entertainment. Surrounded by the chaos of Wall Street, the narcotics,
23:09booze, criminal activity and general human garbage that were the employees of Stratton Oakmont,
23:15Margot Robbie's Naomi is the undeniable human element of the piece.
23:19Nothing else is particularly relatable, unless you happen to have smuggled millions of dollars across
23:24national borders strapped to another being. But Naomi as a wife and a mother who ultimately
23:28outgrows Jordan brings a real sobering quality to proceedings. It was this masterpiece in 2013
23:34that truly set Robbie on her path to superstardom, and it is nothing short of insane to think that
23:40this came just five years after vigilante. 1. I, Tonya
23:44Margot Robbie is no stranger to bringing real people to the screen, but arguably her best ever work on screen
23:50came portraying legendary figure skater Tonya Harding. The biopic itself manages to blend comedy,
23:56plenty of it coming from Harding's sheer bluntness, with the darker and more emotional elements of the
24:01story. It's funny but brutal at the same time, and while other movies may struggle to bring two
24:06drastically different tones like this together, I, Tonya succeeds and then some. There truly aren't
24:11enough superlatives to properly describe Margot Robbie's performance as Tonya Harding,
24:16and she takes one of America's most hated sports personalities and portrays her with a quiet dignity
24:21that actually turns her into a sympathetic character. There aren't many who could have
24:25pulled it off, but Robbie has the talent to evoke such emotions while still making you laugh.
24:30There have been plenty of movies on this list that didn't quite live up to the talent Margot Robbie
24:34brought to the table, but I, Tonya does not have that problem. If it weren't for Frances McDormand's
24:40outstanding performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,
24:44it's highly likely this role would have earned Margot Robbie her first Best Actress win. Her work
24:49certainly deserved it.
Recommended
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