'Suicide Squad' Star Margot Robbie on Harley's Hot Pants and Getting Inspired by Debbie Harry
How did Margot Robbie summon the punk-rock spirit required to play the Suicide Squad’s craziest member, Harley Quinn? Two words: Debbie Harry. As Robbie tells Yahoo Movies in the video above, the Blondie frontwoman and punk-rock icon provided both the sartorial and attitudinal inspiration for Harley’s big-screen debut. “The costume designer, Kate Hawley, showed me this picture of Debbie Harry, and she just looked like she didn’t give a s—. I was like, ‘That’s badass. Let’s do that.’” (Look closely at the picture in the video, and you’ll notice that Harry is also rocking a pair of ultra-short shorts similar to Harley’s infamous hot pants — a fashion preference that the Australian actress has admitted to not sharing in real life.)
Related: Comic-Con: The Best Harley Quinn Cosplay
Debbie Harry wasn’t the only influence on Harley’s distinct look in the DC Comics adaptation, which is looking at a potentially huge opening weekend box office gross when it opens on Aug. 5 despite mixed-to-negative reviews. The comic books themselves provided plenty of inspiration. Created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for Batman: The Animated Series in the early ‘90s, Harley Quinn initially sported a jester costume that made her the perfect sidekick/love interest for the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. Since joining the established DC Comics Universe, her look has evolved. “In the comics, you see her in a range of costumes from the completely covered-up court jester look to mini-shorts and corset,” says Robbie. “So we had a pretty wide range to choose from, and we wanted to get it right. Every variation that you could possibly imagine Harley could wear, I’ve tried it on.”
Related: A Soap Star, a Professor, and a Bombshell: The Strange But True History of Harley Quinn Revealed!
“We tried on all sorts of different versions of this costume,” Squad director David Ayer echoes. “We tried on a jester version which so many people are in love with.” Ultimately, he and his leading lady decided to model their version of Harley after the character’s appearance in DC’s New 52 Universe, where the hot pants are also very much intact. “It’s kind of her standard uniform in that iteration,” Ayer says. “And Margot rocks ‘em.”
