Margot Robbie is in a league of her own, no doubt. Since The Wolf of Wall Street dropped in 2013, she has not only been a part of major projects with big budgets but has also taken her chances at stepping into the unknown. As a producer, she has breathed life into independent creations and a mega-blockbuster like Barbie. While everybody is busy gushing about her acting chops and collaborations with top directors, here is a peek behind the curtains into her personal life, family, education, and more!

Early life and family

Margot Elise Robbie, born on 2nd July 1990 in Dalby, Queensland, is the second youngest of four siblings. Doug Robbie, her father, was once a farm owner and a bigwig in the sugarcane industry, while her mother, Sarie Kessler, worked as a physiotherapist. Robbie spent much of her upbringing on her grandparents' farm in Currumbin Valley after her parents separated. Sarie Kessler took on the responsibility of raising her children by herself after Doug Robbie left the family when Margot Robbie was just five years old.

Over in Australia's Gold Coast, Kessler single-handedly brought up four children on a farm, teaching them important values and how to be resilient. Despite her unconventional upbringing, Robbie's talent for acting was clear from an early age. Although Kessler did not notice her daughter's acting potential at first, she later realized Robbie's innate talent and flair for performing during her childhood.

Circus school and high school years

Margot Robbie's interest in performing sparked early in her life. Her mother enrolled her in a circus school, where she thrived in trapeze and even earned a certificate at the age of eight. During high school at Somerset College, Robbie got into studying drama. While she is not the only star who juggled odd jobs before becoming famous, her résumé is quite remarkable. In a 2013 interview with the Australian Council of Trade Unions, she revealed her reluctance to turn down job offers.

From serving up dishes and mixing drinks to sweating it out in the kitchen and clocking in long hours at retail stores, Margot Robbie's work history is vast. She has also had her fair share of office duties and moonlighted as a cleaner on the side, hustling through three jobs at once just to make ends meet. But when the acting bug bit during her teenage years she did not think twice. Drama classes and local theater became her playground, and she threw herself into them with passion.

2008–2012: Early acting career

At 17, Margot Robbie packed her bags and hit the road to Melbourne, to take a leap into the acting world. Before she knew it, she was auditioning for TV gigs. Margot Robbie's debut in the acting world happened during her high school days. She landed roles in two low-budget indie thrillers, Vigilante and I.C.U. Her television debut came in 2008 with a guest appearance as Caitlin Brentford in City Homicide, followed by a two-episode stint in The Elephant Princess, where she shared the screen with Liam Hemsworth.

In June 2008, she stepped into the shoes of Donna Freedman in Neighbours. This role was initially a guest spot, but her performance earned her a permanent place in the cast. Over her three-year journey on the soap, she secured two Logie Award nominations. Shortly after landing in America, Robbie got the role of Laura Cameron in the period drama series Pan Am.

Despite a promising start with great ratings and rave reviews, the series met its end after just one season due to its declining viewership.

2013–2015: Breakthrough with The Wolf of Wall Street

Margot Robbie got her start in movies with About Time, but it was The Wolf of Wall Street that shot her into the big leagues. Even her crew did not think she had a shot at landing a part in a Martin Scorsese film. When she heard auditions were happening for the next Scorsese flick, Robbie did not waste a moment in trying out for the role of Naomi, the wife of the dodgy stockbroker character, Jordan Belfort. With nerves rattling as she performed alongside DiCaprio under Scorsese's watchful eye, Robbie decided to spice things up with a daring move.

Instead of following the script's directions for a typical argument with her future co-star, she took a risk and surprised everyone by giving DiCaprio an impromptu slap across the face. The Wolf of Wall Street was a massive success and opened multiple opportunities for the budding superstar. The actress got an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and also won the Empire Award for Best Newcomer. 

2016–2018: Worldwide recognition

After Wolf, the industry bombarded Margot Robbie with offers for roles similar to Naomi's. So, she added some class in Focus, played a gutsy war reporter in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and took on the role of Jane, a proper 19th-century lady in The Legend of Tarzan. Then came Suicide Squad, where she mashed together her hotness and scrappiness to become Harley Quinn. By then, she had been in Hollywood for five years, stacked up enough clout and cash to not just change the type of roles she took, but to start creating the ones she wanted for herself.

Producing was Robbie's way of breaking free from the constraints of patriarchal Hollywood. In 2014, she teamed up with her close pals to co-found LuckyChap Entertainment. One of their early wins was the film I, Tonya, where Robbie not only starred as Tonya Harding but also wore the producer's hat. The movie wowed audiences and critics alike, earning Robbie an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She even took the stage as host for the season premiere of Saturday Night Live's 42nd season.

2019–2021: Established actress and producer

LuckyChap Entertainment was not just a platform to boost Margot Robbie's profile. In fact, many of the projects she has been part of might not have seen the light of day without her involvement. The success of I, Tonya empowered Robbie to pursue more varied roles in indie cinema, alongside her mainstream films where she had less creative control. Though Dreamland and Terminal did not set the box office on fire, they allowed Robbie to explore two genres- western romance and neo-noir thriller.

Despite LuckyChap's awards success, Margot Robbie felt her producing efforts often went unnoticed, as per her interview with Vanity Fair. She was frequently left out of important project discussions and email chains. Yet, she earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and took charge as both producer and lead in Birds of Prey as Harley Quinn.

Robbie also served as an executive producer for the comedy series Dollface and played Kayla Pospisil in Bombshell.

2022–present: Continued success and Barbie

Margot Robbie returned to her roots by reprising her role as Donna Freedman in the last episode of Neighbours in 2022. She also took on roles in Amsterdam and Babylon, the latter landing her a Golden Globe nomination. However, the pinnacle of her career came with her production and lead role in Barbie, her highest-grossing release. The film received numerous award nominations, including the Oscars, and crossed the billion-dollar mark, making Greta Gerwig the first female filmmaker to achieve such a feat.

Robbie, alongside Ryan Gosling's Ken, anchored a star-studded ensemble to push a narrative beyond the established boundaries of the Barbie universe. The movie defied genre norms, blending satire with social commentary on the corporate ambitions of a toy company. It was a heartfelt celebration of girl power while treating audiences to a musical extravaganza by Nicki Minaj and Dua Lipa.

Personal life and public image

Margot Robbie prefers to keep her personal life private, but she is popular for her love of ice hockey, particularly the New York Rangers. She has even played as a right winger in an amateur league. Margot Robbie tied the knot with British assistant director Tom Ackerley in 2016, and they currently call Venice Beach, California, home. They met on the set of Suite Française in 2013 and started dating shortly after.

Now, not only are they life partners, but they also work closely together as business partners, having launched LuckyChap Entertainment in 2014. With a varied acting career ranging from major studio productions to independent films, Robbie has garnered acclaim on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World. Additionally, she is also recognized for her fashion sense and acts as an ambassador for brands such as Calvin Klein, Nissan, and Chanel.