Margot Robbie's 20 Best Movie Roles, Ranked
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She's played a comic book misfit, a desperate figure skater, and one hell of a Barbie. Margot Robbie has, in roles small and large, stolen the screen from icons and heavyweights (Leonardo DiCaprio—ever heard of him?), quietly building one of our favorite new canons in Hollywood. Venerable directors seem to agree: She's worked alongside Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Greta Gerwig and Adam McKay thus far.
Most recently, of course, Robbie nailed the leading role in in the live-action Barbie movie. The ubiquitous plastic doll's film adaptation has by far been one of the biggest events of 2023—especially with Gerwig directing and Ryan Gosling co-starring as (a totally broke, yet totally Kenough) Ken. With Barbie, Wes Anderson's Asteroid City, and Damien Chazelle's Babylon all recently entering Robbie's filmography, here are the 20 best roles in the great actress's career, ranked.
Z for Zachariah
With a silly midwestern accent and a love triangle involving Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine, the actress's role in Z for Zachariah places her in an uncomfortable position. Her character, Ann, is simply trying to survive a nuclear apocalypse, but the two men can't help but spend all their time fighting for her love and attention.
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Peter Rabbit
Robbie voices Peter Rabbit's sister, Flopsy Rabbit, and serves as the narrator in this computer-animated adaptation of the famous British children's book character. Despite mixed reviews, the film grossed over $351 million—probably because the rabbits were cute as hell!
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Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is much like its predecessor, though the sequel adds a funny meta-storyline where Thomas writes the Peter Rabbit books in the movie. Robbie still does a great job as Flopsy, the narrator.
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The Legend of Tarzan
Though The Legend of Tarzan had audiences wishing that Tarzan had stayed animated, the live-action film did have something right going for it in Robbie. Playing Jane, the jungle man's love interest, she added some emotion to what was otherwise a turgid CGI affair.
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About Time
Over-correcting for the creepiness of The Time Traveler's Wife, which dropped a few years prior, About Time tries for the time-traveling romantic comedy once again, focusing on various meet-cutes and second chances. Robbie has a near-perfect supporting role early in the film, portraying a woman who would never be caught dead next to Domhnall Gleeson, even if he had the power to travel through time.
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The Big Short
Though only a single appearance as herself, The Big Short's cameo proved that the best Margot Robbie character is Margot Robbie. Even when she's reciting financial mumbo jumbo in a bathtub, she's still a star.
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Amsterdam
Robbie stands out in Amsterdam, as packed with stars—including Christian Bale and John David Washington—as it is. Amsterdam has some fun moments and twists, but it buckled under its hefty ambition—and bombed at the box office. Fans of the genre should still enjoy it, though.
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Terminal
Robbie takes the lead role in Terminal, a thriller about an assassin on a hunt for revenge. Robbie also helped produce the film, co-starring Simon Pegg and Max Irons, which fit right into her wheelhouse as a convincing femme fatale.
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Asteroid City
Robbie has a small, but profound role in the latest Wes Anderson movie. She plays the deceased wife of Jason Schwartzman’s character. Augie—and the actress who embodies her in the play-within-the-film.
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Bombshell
Telling the story of Fox News anchors Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson, Bombshell details the fall of CEO Roger Ailes due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Robbie, however, plays Kayla Pospisil, a made-up character for the film that endures some of the worst of what women experienced working at the network. The humanity she brings will have you wondering if Kayla isn't real after all.
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Babylon
Damien Chazelle’s sweeping story of 1920s Hollywood wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but Robbie committed to her character, Nellie LaRoy. Like some real actors from the time period, LaRoy was a huge it-girl in silent movies—but she struggled to transition when films adopted sound.
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The Suicide Squad (2021)
Suicide Squad may have introduced the superhero world to Robbie's Harley Quinn, but it wasn't a film where she could truly shine. Neither was the James Gunn-directed remake in 2021, though Robbie had a larger, infinitely more enjoyable role. Her portrayal as the Joker's on-and-off again partner in crime redefined the character for a modern audience.
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Dreamland
Dreamland is the closest Margot Robbie has ever gotten to starring in a Bonnie & Clyde remake—a part she seems born to play. She stars as Allison Wells, a bank robber wanted for murder, in this period drama, which was also produced by her production company, LuckyChap Entertainment.
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Focus
Robbie stole the show as a con artist once again in Focus, this time wrangling some of the attention away from her co-lead, Will Smith. Showcasing her will-they-or-won't-they chemistry with Smith, it's evident why her near-type casting as a woman drawn to crime has lasted through a decade of phenomenal work.
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Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood
Robbie may have had to fight to get some more lines in Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood, but Tarantino's tinsel town epic wasn't all about capturing footage of her feet. Playing Sharon Tate, Robbie was able to provide the late actress with a sense of life and redemption—altering history to avoid murder and become friends with Cliff Booth (Leonardo DiCaprio) instead.
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Mary Queen of Scots
Playing Queen Elizabeth is one of Robbie's biggest roles, starring alongside Saoirse Ronan in Mary Queen of Scots. The playful period drama depicts two cousins as they compete for the throne of England, intertwined in patriarchal drama and duty to their kingdom. We hate to see two women pitted against each other, and so did British history after 20 years of political turmoil.
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The Wolf of Wall Street
As rich as Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) gets in The Wolf of Wall Street, he still only has half the power as his wife, Naomi Lapaglia (Margot Robbie). In one unforgettable scene, she makes him crawl to her on his hands and knees before holding him off with her high heel on his forehead and making him beg. That'll go down in cinema history.
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Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Birds of Prey was the female-led Harley Quinn film that Robbie's DCEU character deserved. Following her split with the Joker (bye!), she joins up with fellow female badasses for rollerblading, bodega breakfast sandwiches, and high-octane crime fighting. Director Cathy Yan allows her to imbue the character with lovable mischief and sympathy, revolving around a story about protecting young women from Gotham's nastiest kingpins.
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Barbie
Barbie wouldn’t have worked if its lead was anything but stellar—and Robbie nailed it. She plays Stereotypical Barbie, who is struck by a sudden existential crisis in the matriarchal society of Barbieland. The only solution? Journey to the outside world to cure it. Every Barbie and Ken pulls their weight in the movie, but Robbie truly stuck the landing, making Greta Gerwig’s live-action adaptation a huge success.
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I, Tonya
Competitive figure skater Tonya Harding's career ended when she was accused of orchestrating an attack on her 1994 Winter Olympics rival, Nancy Kerrigan. Ironically, Robbie's portrayal of Harding in I, Tonya had the reverse effect and brought her the greatest role of her career so far. Exploring the nuances and pressure the figure skater was under before the big event, Robbie showcased her ruthlessness and determination.
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