Margot Robbie recently shared insights into her experience working on Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street during an appearance on the Talking Pictures podcast. Reflecting on her portrayal of Naomi Lapaglia, Robbie revealed that the film’s controversial full-frontal scene was entirely her idea.
Going Full Frontal Was Margot Robbie’s Idea
Although Scorsese had suggested she could wear a robe for her comfort, Robbie insisted on embracing the nudity, believing it was essential to her character’s intent in the scene where Naomi seduces Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
“That’s not what she would do in that scene,” Robbie explained. “The whole point is that she’s making a bold statement—coming out completely naked is her power move.”
Robbie also shared an anecdote from her audition for the role, where she chose to deviate from the script. Instead of delivering the expected kiss during her scene with DiCaprio, she impulsively slapped him.
“I thought, ‘I could kiss Leonardo DiCaprio right now, and that would be amazing.’ But then I decided to do something unexpected and just slapped him across the face,” she recounted.
The room fell silent for a few moments, which felt like an eternity to Robbie, but then erupted in laughter. “Leo and Marty were laughing so hard, they said, ‘That was great!’” she shared.
Despite their approval, Robbie admitted she initially panicked. “I was thinking, ‘I’m going to get arrested for this. Not only will I never work again, but I might actually go to jail. And why did I slap him so hard?’”
The bold choices Robbie made both during her audition and in the film itself contributed to her breakout role, showcasing her fearless approach to acting.
How Old Was Margot Robbie While Filming The Wolf of Wall Street?
The Wolf of Wall Street marked Margot Robbie’s breakthrough role, catapulting her to stardom. At the time of filming, however, she was only 22 years old. Robbie, who has since enjoyed a highly successful career, starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street and has since headlined films like Birds of Prey, Focus, I, Tonya, Bombshell, The Legend of Tarzan, and Barbie, which became a major box-office success.
Robbie’s career began in television with the 2008 series City Homicide, but it wasn’t until she was cast in The Wolf of Wall Street in 2013 that she gained widespread recognition.
She portrayed Naomi Lapaglia, the second wife of DiCaprio’s character, Jordan Belfort, in Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of the real-life story. Robbie’s youthful appearance played a role in her casting, especially since Olivia Wilde, who auditioned for the role, was considered too old. Additionally, Robbie’s bold audition—where she slapped DiCaprio—helped secure her role.
When filming started in August 2012, Robbie had just turned 22, having been born in July 1990. By the film’s release in December 2013, she was 23 and quickly became a rising star in Hollywood.
In contrast, DiCaprio, who was 38 years old (39 by the time of the release), played Belfort, who was in his late 20s and early 30s during the events depicted in the film.
This created a noticeable 16-year age gap between the two, although the real Naomi (Nadine Macaluso) was only slightly older than Robbie when she married Belfort.
In real life, Macaluso was 22 when she met Belfort and about 24 when they married in 1991. Though there was a significant age difference between Robbie and DiCaprio, Robbie’s portrayal of Naomi was true to the age of the real Naomi at the time.
