If you were anywhere near a movie theater in December 2013, you remember the collective "Who is that?" that rippled through the audience. A then-22-year-old Australian actress, previously known mostly for a soap opera back home called Neighbours, had just walked onto the screen in a body-con Hervé Léger dress and completely leveled Leonardo DiCaprio.
That was Margot Robbie.
Even now, over a decade later, margot robbie photos wolf of wall street remain some of the most searched images in film history. But it wasn’t just about the aesthetic. It was about a performance so fearless it almost didn't happen. Robbie famously clinched the role of Naomi Lapaglia by going off-script during her audition and slapping DiCaprio across the face. She thought she’d get arrested; instead, Martin Scorsese gave her the job.
The Story Behind the Most Famous Nursery Scene in History
We have to talk about the nursery scene. You know the one. Naomi is furious at Jordan (DiCaprio) for his latest infidelity, and she decides to "punish" him in their daughter's room.
It looks effortless on screen. In reality? It was a nightmare to film.
Robbie has been incredibly candid about the logistics of that day. She spent 17 hours in a tiny room with about 30 crew members—mostly men—crammed into the corners while she performed one of the most provocative sequences of the 21st century. "It’s a very weird thing," she told Porter years later. "You have to bury the embarrassment and absurdity really deep and fully commit."
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The "Impossible" Costume Stunt
Interestingly, the scene was originally scripted to be even more graphic. The writers wanted Naomi to use her stiletto heel to pull her underwear aside. Robbie, being a realist, looked at the script and told Scorsese it was physically impossible.
Instead, she improvised. She used the heel to keep Jordan at bay, creating that iconic shot of her stiletto pressed against his face. It’s a power move that defined the character far better than the original script ever could.
Why Margot Robbie Insisted on Full Nudity
There is a specific shot in the film where Naomi stands in the doorway, completely bare. Scorsese actually offered Robbie a robe. He didn’t want her to feel pressured into doing a nude scene if she wasn't comfortable.
Robbie said no.
Her reasoning was purely about character integrity. She argued that Naomi used her body as her "only form of currency." To her, wearing a robe would have softened a character who was meant to be using her sexuality as a weapon of war. She even downed three shots of tequila before the take to calm her nerves, but she never wavered on the creative choice.
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That level of agency is rare for a newcomer. Most people in her position would have done exactly what the legendary director suggested. Robbie knew better.
Decoding the Fashion: Beyond the "Hottest Blonde Ever"
The visuals in the film, captured by legendary costume designer Sandy Powell, weren't just about looking "sexy." They tracked Naomi's descent from a Brooklyn girl into a high-society wife trapped in a gilded cage.
- The Meet-Cute: That first blue bandage dress. It was loud, tight, and screamed "nouveau riche."
- The Wedding: A massive, flamboyant gown designed with Lorenzo Caprile. It symbolized the peak of Jordan’s excess.
- The Fall: Toward the end of the film, Naomi’s style shifts. The hair gets smoother, the clothes get more "chic" and understated (think Versace and Prada). She’s growing up; she’s preparing to leave.
Many people search for margot robbie photos wolf of wall street to see the glamour, but if you look closely at the stills from the end of the movie, you see a woman who is exhausted. The "Duchess of Bay Ridge" was a title that became a prison.
The Real "Naomi" Weighs In
The film is based on the life of Jordan Belfort, and Naomi is based on his real-life second wife, Dr. Nadine Macaluso.
Nadine has since become a psychologist and actually uses her TikTok to "fact-check" the movie. She’s confirmed that while the chaos was real, the "short skirts" line in the nursery was fiction. "I definitely didn’t say that to him," she laughed in one video. However, she did praise Robbie’s performance, even helping the actress nail the specific Bay Ridge accent by letting her record her voice during a meeting before production started.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the "Breakout"
There’s this myth that Robbie was an overnight success who loved every second of it. Honestly? It nearly broke her.
The sudden, intense sexualization that followed the movie was overwhelming. Robbie has admitted she almost quit acting altogether after The Wolf of Wall Street came out. The "blonde bombshell" label was a heavy weight to carry, and she spent the next decade proving she was a character actress trapped in a movie star's body (a goal she finally solidified with I, Tonya and Barbie).
Actionable Insights for Film Fans
If you're revisiting the movie or looking through production stills, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the eyes, not the clothes: In the fight scenes, Robbie’s intensity actually overshadows DiCaprio’s. It’s a masterclass in holding your own against a titan.
- The Power Shift: Notice how Naomi is almost always physically higher than Jordan in their arguments. She stands while he sits; she uses heels to gain height. It’s a subtle directing choice by Scorsese.
- The Production Design: Look at the nursery. Every toy in those photos was hand-selected to look like the most expensive version of childhood imaginable—a stark contrast to the toxic environment the parents were creating.
The staying power of these photos isn't just about Margot Robbie's looks. It's about a moment in time where a young actor walked into a room with the biggest director and the biggest star in the world and decided she wasn't going to be a background character. She took the "hottest blonde" trope and turned it into a weapon.
To really appreciate the craft, go back and watch the "Duchess" scene without the sound. Look at the body language. It tells a much darker, more interesting story than the memes ever could.