Margot Robbie had a specific approach for auditions in her early years, saying, “When I walk in I’m very aware of the fact that people see just a little blonde girl […] I just know that they’re expecting nothing and all I can do is impress them […] I can sit there and be like ‘Oh you just wait, yeah I know I look like a silly little blonde but I’m about to blow your minds.'” And when it came to her “The Wolf of Wall Street” audition, Robbie certainly delivered on that front.
As she recounted to Harper’s Bazaar in 2017, Robbie read an argument scene with Leo, and as things escalated, she found herself with 30 seconds left to “do something impressive.” She started “screaming” at her scene partner and, as Robbie recalled it, “He’s yelling back at me. And he’s really scary. I can barely keep up.”
What happened next was a surprise to everyone, including Robbie:
“And he ends it saying, ‘You should be happy to have a husband like me. Now get over here and kiss me.’ So I walk up really close to his face and then I’m like, ‘Maybe I should kiss him. When else am I ever going to get a chance to kiss Leo DiCaprio, ever?’ But another part of my brain clicks and I just go, Whack! I hit him in the face. And then I scream, ‘F*** you!’ And that’s not in the script at all. The room just went dead silent and I froze.”