Margot Robbie starred in Babylon, directed by Damien Chazelle, where she played the lead role of Nelly LaRoy, a party-girl movie star, while Brad Pitt portrayed Jack Conrad, an aging actor. The film tells the story of several characters trying to build their careers in Hollywood during the transition from silent films to talkies.
However, the film did not meet the high expectations set for it. With a budget of $80 million, Babylon grossed only $63 million, with $15 million of that coming from the domestic U.S. market. Robbie was taken aback by the film’s poor box office performance. She had hoped the film would find its audience in the future, but she admitted to taking the project’s failure to heart.
“I don’t understand it. Maybe I’m biased because I’m so close to the project and obviously believe in it, but I still can’t figure out why people hated it,” said the actress, who played Barbie in the recent Barbie movie.
Margot believes that Babylon will eventually have a similar fate to many works of art that were initially not appreciated by audiences. She pointed out that, for example, Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen, which is now one of the most popular in the world, was once heavily criticized by listeners and music experts.
“I wonder, in 20 years, will people say, ‘Wait, Babylon actually flopped when it came out?’ It will be like The Shawshank Redemption, which is now considered a classic, and people will wonder how that could have happened,” she said.
The 34-year-old Australian actress gave birth to her first child on October 17. The news of the baby’s arrival wasn’t made public right away, as Margot wanted to quietly enjoy the first unforgettable days with her son and husband, producer Tom Ackerley. Margot is settling into her new role as a mother, and she is frequently spotted on walks with her stroller in Los Angeles.
