When it comes to Hollywood "it girls," Margot Robbie is the woman of the hour on every red carpet. Everyone's basking in her star power lately, and how can you resist? At each turn, she's clad head-to-toe in pink ensembles pulled directly from Barbie's wardrobe. Sure, who could forget her performance in The Wolf of Wall Street or her unmatched live-action interpretation of Harley Quinn? But the landslide success of Greta Gerwig's Barbie last summer (earning over $1 billion at the box office) skyrocketed her to superstardom. She's literally Barbie incarnate!
But you know how it goes. Fame comes with its own set of challenges. After the Barbie movie became a smash hit, Robbie dropped a truth bomb. She's always been down to earth as well as drop-dead gorgeous, but her candid interview with Deadline in early 2024 offered an even further look into just how self-aware the actress is. Robbie goes on to say, regarding her fears about Barbie's success, that "there’s always that slice of you naysaying; that voice in your head that is listening to all those voices of reason around you telling you it’s too crazy, and it won’t work." But the risk paid off. "But especially in the case of Barbie, I think the moment was what allowed it to hit in the exact way that it did... I think there was a feeling out there that everyone needed this movie at the time it came out."
Before filming, however, Robbie understood just how impactful her portrayal of the plastic princess would be, "...the name ‘Barbie’ is just so globally recognizable. It’s like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. You can’t compare it even to something like The Little Mermaid; it’s so much bigger than that. It’s comparable to the biggest conglomerate brand names." Likewise, Robbie would join Barbie in the ranks of household names after working on the film. Not only did she play the leading role, but she shepherded the project before it even had a director, working as a producer and tracking the IP for nearly a decade. In fact, she initially tapped Gal Gadot to play Barbie, but Greta Gerwig eventually convinced Robbie to take the role.
“Everyone’s probably sick of the sight of me for now,” Robbie admitted, seemingly lighthearted about her insecurities. Everyone loves a celebrity who doesn't take themselves too seriously, but it makes us wonder... Would anyone else feel the need to downplay their success in this way? Yes, we're thinking of you, male actors.
For instance, Ryan Gosling, who starred as Ken in Barbie, has been a rom-com heartthrob since playing the lead actor in The Notebook (2004), and he doesn't seem afraid that people are getting tired of him! If anything, his fans love him even more now since Barbie. In fact, he won a Critics Choice Award for "I'm Just Ken" over both Dua Lipa's and Billie Eilish's original songs for the film. He wasn't too amused by that result, obviously aware that the industry was singing his praises for doing half the work of his female counterpart.
Or, perhaps Gosling simply doesn't have the same insecurities as Robbie, who has likely been taught subconsciously that women shouldn't get too comfortable in the spotlight. Most women are taught that there's always someone prettier, smarter, or more talented coming along right behind you, and it's best not to nag, take up space, or overstay your welcome, lest your peers get tired of you.
Long story short, Margot Robbie is especially grateful for her success and is taking a break from acting to take up more producing roles. We'll never truly know what Robbie truly thinks of this phenomenon. Most likely, her self-deprecating jab was a one-off joke to prevent Barbiemania from overinflating her ego. But it's worth exploring what expectations we place on young women regarding how they are able to pursue, enjoy, and maintain success without guilt or shame. That being said, we will never ever get tired of looking at you, Margot!
