Samara Weaving and Margot Robbie, both born in Australia just two years apart, share more than just their nationality; their career origins in Australian soap operas draw a close parallel. Their resemblance has caught the attention of filmmakers, notably in the 2022 film Babylon, where Weaving’s character is overshadowed by a rising star played by Robbie. This dynamic nods not only to their real-life career trajectories—Robbie achieving fame before Weaving—but also to Robbie’s breakthrough with her blockbuster Barbie later on. Meanwhile, Weaving has carved out a niche in the genre of horror, embracing a “scream queen” persona distinct from Robbie’s more polished public image.
Samara Weaving’s Scream Queen Persona Versus Margot Robbie’s Glamour
Weaving’s horror-centric roles highlight a willingness to dive into intense, often bloody scenarios that Robbie has so far avoided. Films like Ready or Not showcase Weaving amid graphic violence, a stark contrast to Robbie’s cleaner, more glamorous roles. For example, Robbie is unlikely to be seen in sequences typical of Weaving’s filmography—such as being hunted in a Scream opening or navigating brutal action-horror settings like Azrael, where Weaving’s character silently escapes through the forest covered in blood. Weaving’s latest movie, Eenie Meanie, continues this trend, featuring her driving a car wildly through a casino as part of a high-stakes crime plot.
Eenie Meanie: A Promising Setup Undermined by Flawed Execution
Despite a captivating premise centered around an ex-criminal getting pulled back into a dangerous underworld, Eenie Meanie ultimately disappoints. The movie’s title is a play on the protagonist Edith Meanie’s nickname “Edie,” used during her teenage years as a skilled getaway driver. However, the connection between the title and story feels forced and irrelevant, reflecting deeper issues in the screenplay. Edie, portrayed by Weaving, is pregnant by her ex-partner John, played by Karl Glusman, and agrees to one last heist to protect him from their old crime boss Nico, played by Andy Garcia. This setup leads to a chaotic car chase involving a casino’s card tournament prize, designed to be thrilling but lacking in narrative coherence.
Weaving, with her visibly sharp and determined look in the film, brings a gritty energy that contrasts with Margot Robbie’s typical on-screen innocence—even in her more eccentric roles. While Robbie is known for sweet yet quirky characters like Harley Quinn and Barbie, Weaving embodies a scrappier and more raw intensity, fitting for edgy crime thrillers or horror films. Her two-tone hair and distinct accent in Eenie Meanie lend her a unique street-wise charm, making her seem ready to break loose at any moment. Unfortunately, even with this strong central performance, the film’s script veers toward overwritten dialogue filled with straining attempts at gritty “pulp-fiction poetry” that fall short of standards set by writers like Elmore Leonard or Quentin Tarantino.
Excessive Violence and Forced Emotional Stakes
Eenie Meanie’s approach to storytelling relies heavily on sudden, brutal character deaths and dark humor, which gives the film a flippant and cruel tone. These elements feel less like intentional storytelling and more like gimmicks designed to simulate edgy credibility. Additionally, the film uses Edie’s pregnancy and a superficially developed romantic backstory as convenient devices to raise stakes, rather than exploring these elements deeply or meaningfully, thus weakening emotional engagement. This erratic mix leaves the movie uneven and often frustrating, a sentiment echoed by critics and viewers alike.
Samara Weaving’s 2025 Film Choices: Promising Talent, Misjudged Roles
Weaving’s recent projects suggest she is at risk of being miscast or overshadowed by shaky scripts. For instance, Borderline, written and directed by her husband Jimmy Warden, puts her in the role of a ’90s pop star stalked by a dangerous figure played by Ray Nicholson, who is the son of Jack Nicholson. While the movie shows Weaving’s trademark blood-streaked intensity, the story itself lacks enough substance to sustain its runtime, reflecting missed opportunities to fully leverage her charisma. Her performances often inject life into otherwise lackluster projects, but it points to a recurring issue in 2025 releases where filmmakers rely on her presence to elevate mediocre films rather than focusing on script quality.
Her ability to channel a star’s allure—whether as a fictional pop archetype or as a gritty, less polished counterpart to Margot Robbie—is clear. The best example of Weaving’s strengths is seen in Azrael, where simplicity in storytelling combined with a strong physical and emotional presence proved her compelling appeal. However, the string of less successful films since then reveal a growing tendency within the industry to treat her as a shortcut to audience attention rather than building narratives that fully showcase her abilities.
Looking Forward: A Call for Better Roles Beyond Comparisons
While comparisons between Weaving and Robbie often serve as a clever nod within Hollywood, they risk underselling Weaving’s unique talents and potential. She clearly thrives in genre films, particularly horror and thrillers, where she can mix toughness with vulnerability. However, it is imperative for her career that she moves away from projects that lean on her resemblance to Robbie or her established “scream queen” image as a crutch. Instead, Weaving should seek roles that challenge her and match her intensity without reducing her to a glossy echo of bigger stars.
Where to Watch
Fans interested in Samara Weaving’s recent work can stream Eenie Meanie on Disney+ and Hulu, where they can witness her take on a gritty, if flawed, crime thriller role that highlights the ongoing Margot Robbie Samara Weaving comparison and the nuanced differences in their career paths and screen personas.
