10 must-see Margot Robbie films

We have seen her in many iconic roles. From The Wolf of Wall Street to Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie has emerged as a celebrated actress and pop cultural icon of the contemporary scene.

Known for her voice, magnetic on-screen presence, and bold role choices, Margot Robbie has traversed a remarkable path from being a newcomer to an industry mainstay. Who can forget her high-octane blockbusters like Barbie, where she delivers performances that are smart, appealing, and emotionally sharp?

So, for those who want to get a list of her finest films, here are ten entries that showcase her vivid scale and iconic presence.

10 must-see Margot Robbie films

1.The breakout: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Margot Robbie’s breakout role did something nobody expected. This film shot her to global fame as the appealing, Bronx-accented, smart Naomi Lapaglia in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street.

This financial epic introduced Robbie to global audiences. She shared the screen alongside Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort. Even though she was still new to Hollywood, Robbie held her place in the film, making her character have more grit and cunning than a standard trophy wife archetype. The searing monologue deliveries towards the end of this raging financial drama added more charisma to the film.

2. Subtle power: Z for Zachariah (2015)

This post-apocalyptic drama stars Robbie as Ann. This role required a perceptive delivery, and Robbie pulled it off.

Ann is a woman who has to tend to a remote valley after a nuclear mishap. Tensions flare up as two men arrive. This is when, in the nearly silent location, more chaotic internal landscapes open up. Unlike the performance in Suicide Squad, this performance was quietly perceptive, speaking volumes with glances and hesitation.

The slow-burn psychological thriller had her as a perfect fit.

3. Cultural icon: Suicide Squad (2016)

David Ayer’s gritty story centering on an anti-hero has not impressed many critics, but her role as a wild-eyed, baseball-bat-wielding, tragicomic Harley Quinn left a lasting impression.

With neon-filled scenes and quirky visuals, she aced the role, dancing through a minefield of the character’s trauma. Robbie brought unpredictability, physicality, and reflections of heartbreak. With this, the character became an instant cosplay and pop culture icon.

4.Creative control: Birds of Prey (2020)

Birds of Prey was the movie that gave Robbie a stage of her own—and brought her the credit as a producer. This film traces the post-breakup situation with the Joker, traversing Gotham with a rogue’s gallery of women.

Pop culturally, the film has delivered many iconic scenes, from breaking a leg mid-sandwich to whispering to a hyena. Margot Robbie's unhinged energy and screen presence were perfect and oddly endearing. The feminine rage, coupled with a magnetic edge, made her performance in this film iconic.

5.Awards breakthrough: I, Tonya (2017)

This was a mockumentary-style biopic where Robbie stepped into the shoes of Tonya Harding. Her character goes through a sad trajectory: from teenage prodigy to tabloid scapegoat.

For this role, Margot Robbie trained on ice and cracked open the character’s guarded vulnerability. She understood the evils of media caricature and brought its effects into a fully realized person.

Tonya’s character demanded an erratic, raw, and deeply physical presence. Margot Robbie delivered it aptly, and this eventually earned her an Oscar nod and showed she could carry complex, morally ambiguous leads.

6.Elegance in silence: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Robbie played the character of iconic Sharon Tate in Tarantino’s Hollywood daydream.

This film captures Tate not as a tragedy-in-waiting, but as a symbol of optimism. One of the most memorable and mention-worthy scenes is where Robbie grins watching her (Sharon's) own film. Robbie’s sunny appeal and reverence for Tate’s memory became readable even with a short role.

7. Ambitious chaos: Babylon (2022)

Babylon was Damien Chazelle’s frenzied portrait of 1920s Hollywood. In this film, Robbie acted as Nellie LaRoy, a Jersey girl slowly carving her way to fame in the silent film industry. From her wild dance-floor debut to her heartbreaking downfall, the scenes are pure adrenaline.

Babylon captures the intoxicating addiction of fame and the self-destruction that often follows. Even in a film where bright lights and spectacles are prevalent, Margot Robbie still shines bright.

8. Regal reinvention: Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

This film gives Margot Robbie a total makeover as Queen Elizabeth I, reflecting the times of the Tudor era. She understood the burden of running a kingdom and brought the nuances to the screen.

Opposite Saoirse Ronan’s impassioned Mary, her portrayal of Elizabeth is marked by a defensive appeal. Under layers of makeup, she offers one of the most emotionally charged performances.

9. Subversive stardom: Barbie (2023)

Greta Gerwig’s candy-colored meta fantasy became instantly popular and claimed wide critical acclaim. This film defined the idea of Barbies—and Robbie herself. As Stereotypical Barbie, she navigates a world of plastic utopia.

The narrative is tightly packed with satire, existential commentary, and feminist insights. In this character, Robbie brought an absurd humor, reflective of a doll learning how to cry, and the sincerity of someone confronting mortality.

10. Stylish detour: Terminal (2018)

This noir detour is not much discussed, but in Terminal, Robbie stars as a waitress with a double life (or should we say several?). Like Suicide Squad, this film features a neon-drenched city. It is a tale of manipulations, gangsters, and assassins in a tale of revenge.

While the film faltered, Robbie’s kaleidoscopic performance was theatrical, menacing, and strong.