"Margot Robbie Stumped by 'Babylon' Flop: 'I Wonder If People Will Be Surprised It Bombed in 20 Years'" .

Margot Robbie is still struggling to understand why her 2022 film Babylon, despite its star-studded cast and ambitious vision, was met with such harsh criticism and poor box office performance. The film, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle (of La La Land fame), aimed to capture the chaotic, transformative period of Hollywood during the late 1920s as the silent film era gave way to the sound era. Featuring Robbie alongside Brad Pitt, the film had an $80 million budget, but it grossed a mere $15 million domestically and $63 million worldwide, leading many to consider it a box office flop.

In an appearance on the "Talking Pictures" podcast, Robbie shared her continued bewilderment over the film’s reception, telling host Ben Mankiewicz that she still cannot figure out why audiences rejected Babylon. “I’m still saying that,” she said, reflecting her ongoing sense of disbelief. “I love it. I don’t get it either. I know I am biased because I am very close to the project and I obviously believe in it, but I still can’t figure out why people hated it.” She even wondered if, in the future, the film might be reappraised in the way some classics have been. “I wonder if in 20 years people are going to be like, ‘Wait, Babylon didn’t do well at the time?’ Like when you hear that Shawshank Redemption was a failure at the time and you’re like, ‘How is that possible?’”

Robbie’s sentiment is understandable, especially considering Babylon is a lavish, visually stunning epic that tackled bold themes of excess, ambition, and the challenges of adapting to the industry's seismic shifts during Hollywood's golden age. She portrayed the role of Nellie LaRoy, a fictional character loosely inspired by silent film star Clara Bow. Robbie spoke fondly of the experience, especially her collaboration with Chazelle. “Damien is so thorough,” she recalled. “What I loved so much about working with him is that I felt like no one had really put their foot to the floor with the gas, but he wanted that all the time. He wanted more, always.” This drive for creative perfection was evident in the preparation process, especially when it came to crafting the character’s distinctive voice.

Robbie revealed that she explored over 50 different versions of Nellie’s accent, from variations of Bostonian to Southern drawls, and even a mix of Snooki from Jersey Shore and Joe Pesci. “At one point I counted all the voice things I offered him at that point, and it was 51,” she said with a laugh. This dedication to creating a fully fleshed-out character underscores Robbie’s belief in the project, even if the public response wasn’t as enthusiastic as she had hoped.

Critics were similarly divided on Babylon, with some praising its audacity and scale, while others found it difficult to digest. Variety’s Peter Debruge described the film as an "exuberantly messy look at La La Land’s early days," an "acid spin on Singin’ in the Rain," but ultimately criticized it for feeling excessive and financially impractical. He noted that Babylon represented "the last of a certain kind of movie: epic, extravagant, and so unreasonably expensive, it would’ve taken pre-pandemic moviegoing habits to make its money back."

In his own reflection on the film’s poor reception, Chazelle expressed some trepidation about his future in filmmaking. Appearing on the "Talking Pictures" podcast last year, the director revealed that the financial failure of Babylon had cast a shadow over his creative ambitions. “I’m in a sort of trepidatious state of mind,” Chazelle said. “I have no illusions. I won’t get a budget of Babylon size any time soon, or at least not on this next one.” He acknowledged that the film's lack of commercial success would likely impact his future projects, although he remained hopeful. “You try to not have that affect what you’re doing creatively, but, at some level, it can’t help but affect it,” he admitted. “But maybe that’s okay? I have very mixed mind about it. Who knows. Maybe I won’t be able to get this one made. I have no idea. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Despite Babylon’s commercial flop, both Robbie and Chazelle remain dedicated to their craft. For Robbie, the experience of working on the film was a rewarding challenge, and she continues to champion the project. She believes that, like many films that are initially misunderstood, Babylon may eventually gain appreciation with time, much like other cinematic classics that were initially dismissed by audiences. Whether or not the film will ever achieve that kind of reappraisal remains to be seen, but for now, Robbie and Chazelle are both reflecting on the lessons learned from the ambitious project.

The story of Babylon also serves as a reminder of the complexities of filmmaking and the unpredictable nature of how audiences and critics respond to creative works. Even with all the right ingredients—talented actors, an acclaimed director, and a captivating story—films can still miss the mark with the public, highlighting the challenges that even the most experienced filmmakers and actors face when taking risks on bold, original content.

For Margot Robbie, the journey with Babylon is far from over, and though she may never fully understand why the film didn’t connect with audiences, she’s clearly proud of her work and the film’s artistic achievements. She has faith that history may eventually view Babylon in a different light, and who knows? In the future, we might look back and wonder how such an ambitious and daring film could have been so misunderstood in its time.