When Margot Robbie Said Yes To A $168.7 Million Movie Without A Script, A Cast, Or A Clue—And Changed Her Career Forever
Margot Robbie took a leap of faith on a high-stakes project with no script, no cast, and no blueprint—just one bold decision that transformed her career.
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in DC’s Suicide Squad debut. ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Margot Robbie didn’t read a word. Didn’t see a script. Had no co-stars to bounce off. Yet, she still said yes. That’s how the Aussie star landed herself in Suicide Squad, a chaotic, high-stakes DC gamble that ended up making over $749 million worldwide. Back in her early twenties, Robbie took the leap without any solid blueprint in hand. And it wasn’t the promise of playing Harley Quinn that pulled her in. It was all about the man calling the shots: David Ayer (via Qatar Tribune).
“I was like, ‘Okay, can I read the script?’ And they were like, ‘There’s no script.’ ‘Okay, is there anyone attached?’ ‘No one attached.’ ‘Is there a director?’ ‘Yeah, David Ayer.’ And I was like, ‘Well, I’m in!’ And that was kind of it!”
What Made Margot Robbie Say Yes to Harley Quinn Without a Script?
Robbie made it clear, this wasn’t about ticking off a comic book movie from her bucket list. She didn’t even have that bucket.
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“I didn’t sign on to do a comic-book movie, nor had I ever expected to. But if I was to do it, David was the guy I wanted to work with.”
Ayer, best known for gritty titles like Fury and Street Kings, had a rep for edgy storytelling. That was enough to sway Robbie. And so began her Harley Quinn era, one that would later spin off into Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad.
When Suicide Squad dropped in 2016, it roared out of the gate. Despite mixed reviews and Ayer later disowning the studio-cut version, the film smashed box office records and even snagged an Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Robbie’s Harley became the standout, turning her chaotic charm into franchise gold.
And to think, none of that would’ve happened if Robbie had waited for a script.
The film itself assembled a roster of imprisoned supervillains, pulled together by Amanda Waller to take on world-ending threats in exchange for reduced sentences. It starred a stacked lineup, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne, and more but back when Robbie signed up, none of that was locked in.
It was a massive leap. But it paid off, both on screen and off. Robbie’s gut call kicked off a defining chapter in her career, even if it came with zero guarantees. Wildest gamble? Definitely. But in true Harley fashion, she made the madness work.
