Why Margot Robbie Took A Break From Acting After Barbie
What is Margot Robbie doing in a post-"Barbie" world? Taking a bit of a break, apparently.
During an extensive interview with Deadline, the producer and actor explained that while her production company LuckyChap Entertainment will keep championing projects in 2024, she may be taking a short vacation from performing. "Everyone's probably sick of the sight of me for now," she joked. "I should probably disappear from screens for a while. Honestly, if I did another movie too soon, people would say, 'Her again? We just did a whole summer with her. We're over it.' I don't know what I'll do next, but I hope it's a little while away."
Before that, the outlet asked if she was set to take a breather after the immense success of "Barbie," and Robbie admitted she doesn't really have that luxury, elaborating just how busy her job as a producer keeps her. "Everyone says that. Everyone's like, 'Are you having a break?' And I'm like, 'You do know I'm a producer, right? We don't get a break.'"
Robbie further explained that her work as a producer is basically constant and that she's currently taking the longest break from acting since the onset of COVID-19, revealing that the last time she actually stepped foot on a set as an actor was October 2022, when "Barbie" concluded filming.
Thanks to Barbie, Margot Robbie had a phenomenal 2023
Margot Robbie certainly had an excellent 2023, as the Deadline interview notes. As the executive producer behind "Barbie" — who got Greta Gerwig involved as co-writer and director in the first place and championed the film to Warner Bros. and Mattel executives alike — Robbie made a huge bet, and it paid off handsomely. "Barbie" was the biggest film of the year, breaking box office records and earning rave reviews from critics; when Oscar nominations come out on January 23, it's certainly expected to be a repeat contender. The past year was a game-changer for the performer, who firmly established herself as a savvy producer as well as one of Hollywood's most talented stars.
Robbie herself agreed after briefly touching on her breakout film, "The Wolf of Wall Street," which released on Christmas Day in 2013. "I feel there was a seismic shift in my life 10 years ago with 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' and now, after everything with 'Barbie' this year, it feels like this past decade has been wild, far beyond anything I could ever have dreamed for myself," she mused.
Miss Harley Quinn herself also firmly believes that "Barbie" was a huge success because it was precisely the joyful experience that everyone needed in 2023. "A brilliant movie is a brilliant movie, whether it comes out now or in 20 years," she said. "But especially in the case of 'Barbie,' I think the moment was what allowed it to hit in the exact way that it did. The temperature in the world just really wanted the big injection of joy that the movie represents."
What will Margot Robbie do after her self-imposed acting break?
So what is next for Margot Robbie after she inevitably steps back in front of the camera? Rumors arose in 2023 that Robbie and her right-hand "Barbie" player Ryan Gosling would reunite for a prequel to "Ocean's Eleven," with the two possibly playing the parents of Danny and Debbie Ocean (George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, the latter of whom debuted in "Ocean's 8"). However, that may have been announced a little too soon; as Robbie said, it's still in development. "Word got out about that; we didn't release anything because it's way too soon, to be honest," she confessed to Deadline. "Whether it winds up being the next thing, I don't know. I don't think so. It's a pretty big project to put together and there are certain logistical things that we have to time it around."
Apart from that, Robbie will continue producing through LuckyChap — and upcoming projects include Olivia Wilde's next film, "Naughty," an Aubrey Plaza vehicle titled "My Old Ass," and a "Tank Girl" reboot that's currently in development. Hopefully, the actor will return to grace the screen again soon. It's safe to say that after the success of "Barbie," nobody is actually sick of her.