A Deep Dive Into Margot Robbie’s Acting Process
Margot Robbie is more than just a pretty face in Hollywood—she’s an acting powerhouse whose ability to morph into complex, emotionally rich characters has made her one of the most compelling talents of her generation. From playing the devil-may-care Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad to portraying the embattled figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, Robbie’s commitment to authenticity has set a high bar.
Her approach to getting into character is far from superficial. It’s meticulous, psychological, and physically demanding. “I don’t like to half-ass anything,” Robbie once told Harper’s Bazaar. “If I’m going to do something, I’ll do it properly or I’m not doing it at all.”
Research is Her Foundation
For Margot Robbie, research is often the first step toward character immersion. When preparing for roles based on real people, like Tonya Harding in I, Tonya or Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Robbie dives into hours of video footage, interviews, and biographies.
“I watched every single interview I could find of Tonya,” she explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I needed to understand not just what she did, but how she justified it, how she felt, how she moved, how she spoke.”
In the case of Tonya Harding, Robbie not only trained to skate but also studied Harding’s speech patterns and facial tics. She worked with a dialect coach and a movement coach to ensure authenticity. “Even down to how Tonya smoked a cigarette—I wanted it to be precise,” she said.
Transforming Through Physicality
Margot Robbie often transforms her body and movements to reflect her characters. In I, Tonya, she underwent rigorous figure-skating training despite having never stepped on the ice before. Her physical commitment helped her better understand the mental and emotional strain her character endured.
“When you move like the character, it helps you think like them too,” she told Variety. “For Tonya, there was a lot of aggression, a lot of power in the legs. It gave me insight into her resilience.”
In contrast, her portrayal of Barbie in Barbie required mastering exaggerated, doll-like movements while remaining emotionally expressive. “I worked with a movement coach because it’s surprisingly hard to look plastic but feel real,” Robbie shared during a Vogue interview.
Using Music to Set the Mood
One of Margot Robbie’s more unique tools for getting into character is using music as a mental gateway. She creates personalized playlists that reflect her character’s mood, energy, and emotional journey.
“Music is a huge thing for me,” she told Marie Claire. “I’ll have a playlist for each character. It’s not necessarily songs they would listen to—it’s songs that put me in the mindset of the character.”
For Harley Quinn, Robbie’s playlist was filled with chaotic, punk-rock anthems to match Harley’s anarchic energy. For Tonya, it was 1980s pop and gritty rock that helped her channel Harding’s defiance and desperation.
Mental Mapping and Emotional Anchors
Robbie employs a technique she calls “mental mapping” to stay emotionally grounded in a character’s psychology. This involves journaling as her character, asking questions like: What did they eat today? What are they afraid of? What do they hope will happen?
“I journal in character. It sounds weird, but it helps so much,” she said in a conversation with IndieWire. “If I know what my character’s thinking even when they’re not speaking, it makes the performance richer.”
She also uses emotional anchors—specific memories or imagined moments in the character’s life that she can recall to evoke real emotions. This helps her remain emotionally truthful during emotionally intense scenes.
Collaboration and Improvisation
Although Robbie is highly prepared, she leaves room for spontaneity. Her work as a producer on many of her films allows her to shape scenes from both behind and in front of the camera.
In Birds of Prey, she encouraged the cast to improvise, saying, “Harley’s world is unpredictable, so I wanted the set to reflect that. If someone went off-script, we leaned into it.”
Director Cathy Yan confirmed this: “Margot would do something unexpected in a scene, and it often led to pure gold.”
Staying in Character on Set
While Margot Robbie is not method in the traditional sense, she often stays in character between takes when the role demands it. “It depends on the project,” she told The Guardian. “For Harley Quinn, I stayed in that headspace all day because it’s hard to drop back into it.”
In contrast, for more emotionally taxing roles like Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street, she preferred to step in and out of character to protect her mental well-being. “That was such a charged character. I had to find a balance,” she explained.
Her flexibility reveals a maturity and sensitivity to the psychological demands of her craft.
The Role of Acting Coaches and Mentors
Margot Robbie is open to seeking help and guidance, even after establishing herself as a star. She works closely with acting coaches to refine difficult scenes and ensure every emotion hits the mark.
“I’ve worked with the same acting coach for years,” she told The New York Times. “Even if I’ve read the script a dozen times, they help me find things I missed.”
She also credits working alongside seasoned actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Saoirse Ronan for sharpening her skills. “You learn so much just watching them work,” Robbie said. “It’s like a masterclass.”
Her Production Company: A Platform for Immersion
As co-founder of LuckyChap Entertainment, Margot Robbie has taken more control over her roles and projects. This gives her more time and space to immerse herself in characters from the development stage onward.
With Promising Young Woman, which her company produced, Robbie was involved in pre-production decisions that shaped tone and narrative. “Being a producer allows me to think like the character earlier in the process,” she explained.
This deeper involvement often gives her a psychological edge in character development.
Conclusion: The Alchemy of Authenticity
Margot Robbie’s ability to disappear into her roles is no accident. It is the result of intense research, emotional intelligence, physical discipline, and a respect for the craft of acting. She doesn’t rely on one formula—instead, she adapts her process to the unique demands of each role.
As she once said, “Every character is different. That’s the beauty and the challenge of acting. You have to find what works for them, not just for you.”
This chameleon-like dedication is what continues to set Margot Robbie apart in an industry full of talent—and ensures that every character she plays feels completely, unforgettably real.
Acting Magazine Newsletters
Never miss out on the best from Acting Magazine.