In 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' Margot Robbie portrayed Naomi, the lover, and later wife of Jordan Belfort, a character played by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio.
Nearly a decade ago, Martin Scorsese summoned her for an audition, where she found herself face to face with DiCaprio, a nominee for the Best Actor Oscar in the same film. With just 30 seconds to make an impression on these two titans of the film industry, she decided to take a bold leap.
As Margot recounted, she was keenly aware of the limited time to impress DiCaprio and Scorsese. She recalled, "I start screaming, and he screams at me. He’s really scary, I could barely keep up." Adhering to the script, DiCaprio's character continued, "You must be happy to have a husband like me. Now come here and give me a kiss." It was at this moment that time seemed to stand still. Margot moved closer to his face, torn between whether to kiss him or not, and then something unexpected occurred—she slapped him in the face. The room fell into silence, and Margot froze.
Fortunately, her boldness paid off. Contrary to her initial fears that her Hollywood career might be over, both Scorsese and DiCaprio burst into laughter, with the latter even requesting that she hit him again. Margot got the role, but this unforgettable audition set the stage for a memorable scene that would leave a lasting mark on her career.
"17 Hours Pretending That He Touched Me"
Among the many scenes in 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' one stands out in Margot's memory. In this particular moment, she shares a room with DiCaprio and exposes herself to him while simulating a act as part of a punishment. Although this scene lasted only a few seconds on screen, the actual filming process stretched out endlessly. Margot confessed, "You don't realize when you're watching the film, the audience doesn't see it, but we were actually in a very small room with 30 crew people around me. All of them men. For 17 hours, I was pretending that he was touching me." This experience was deeply uncomfortable, awkward, and compromising.
Margot further revealed, "It's a very strange thing; you have to bury the shame and what seems absurd to you... It was really uncomfortable, deep, and completely compromising." She went on to express her realization, stating, "It's crazy. I didn't know that you could say that I have been harassed without anyone touching you. As a result of the scenes, I have investigated what harassment consists of. 'I didn’t know what constituted harassment until the MeToo movement.'"
In the same film, Margot had to undress entirely, a topic she had addressed with the New York Times years ago. She described the emotional turmoil she experienced on the morning of that particular scene, recalling how she was trembling with fear. However, when her turn came to perform, she resorted to three shots of tequila to quell her nerves, strip down, and execute the scene. She admitted, "It helped keep my hands from shaking and gave me a little boost of confidence."
Margot Robbie's candid revelations shed light on the challenging and sometimes uncomfortable aspects of her journey in the film industry, demonstrating her resilience and determination to confront difficult situations head-on. Her experiences are a testament to the evolving awareness and conversations around issues like harassment and consent in the entertainment world.
