Margot Robbie reflects on the moment she agreed to go full-frontal nude in The Wolf of Wall Street. It was an idea she said director Martin Scorsese first presented her as one that could potentially be avoided.
Discussing her breakthrough role with Naomi Lapaglia for the first time spoke about Scorsese approaching her to wear a robe if the scene was unbearable. However, Robbie believed the nudity was essential to the character because it highlighted the strategic use of her sexuality at a moment of control and power.
Robbie said on the Talking Pictures podcast, “That’s not what she would do in that scene. The whole point is that she’s going to come out completely naked—that’s the card she’s playing right now.”
At her audition for the 2013 film, Robbie’s bold instincts left an indelible mark. When the scene required her character to kiss Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort, Robbie chose to slap him instead.
The room fell silent, then Scorsese and DiCaprio burst out laughing, praising her bold choice. Robbie briefly worried that she had blown it or gone too far, but her improvisation ended up working in her favor and earning her the role.
The Barbie actress explained, “I thought, ‘I could kiss Leonardo DiCaprio right now, and that would be awesome. I can’t wait to tell all of my friends this.’ And then I thought ‘nah’ and just walloped him in the face. It was dead silent for what felt like an eternity but was probably three seconds.”
Robbie recalled another surreal moment, filming the emotional divorce scene. She said she was listening to the Titanic soundtrack to prepare for the scene. As she was filming, Kate Winslet came to the set to visit DiCaprio, making the whole situation feel like a weird overlap between art and reality.
Even though she expected a small role in this film, it has marked the most pivotal turning point in Margot Robbie’s career as her performances in The Wolf of Wall Street gained wide appreciation and five nominations at the Academy Awards.