Margot Robbie revealed she faced significant imposter syndrome before taking on the role of Barbie. The actress, who also served as a producer on the film, shared the emotional challenge she experienced just weeks before filming began. This inner turmoil occurred at Greta Gerwig’s house, where Robbie felt overwhelmed and uncertain despite years of preparation.
Actress Describes Emotional Breakdown and Self-Doubt
Robbie candidly recalled,
“I went to Greta’s house and had that crisis. I’d spent years trying to get this movie going. And suddenly we’re going to shoot the thing,”
highlighting how the pressure culminated in a panic attack. She added,
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, I dunno how to do this.’ It happens before every single movie I’ve ever done.”
The actress detailed the weeks leading up to filming as a period of intense anxiety.
“A few weeks out, I have this meltdown where I’m like, ‘What am I doing? I don’t know how to act. Everyone’s going to suddenly realize that I can’t do any of this, and it’s going to be terrible.’ And then it is just sheer panic,”
she explained.
Challenges in Connecting with the Character of Barbie
Robbie spoke about the difficulty of embodying Barbie, a character lacking the usual emotional anchors she depended on in previous roles. She described her struggle vividly:
“’I don’t know how to apply any of this research I’ve done, and I’ve done all the things, and I still don’t know who she is.’”
This uncertainty made the preparation feel “palpable and debilitating.”
“It was so hard, because it was trying to pick up something that had nothing to hold onto,”
Robbie said, comparing it to trying to spear the last grape with a fork and failing.
“There’s nothing here to hold onto, because she doesn’t have childhood trauma and she doesn’t have all these things that I normally latch onto and then build off. She doesn’t have any of it, and I couldn’t get her,”
she added.
How Greta Gerwig Supported Robbie Through Her Doubts
Robbie credited director Greta Gerwig for helping her navigate this difficult period, stating,
“helped me through that and pointed me in all the right directions, and we talked through it.”
The Impact of Overcoming These Challenges
Margot Robbie’s openness about her imposter syndrome highlights the emotional complexity many actors face behind the scenes. Despite the anxiety and self-doubt, her experience underlines the importance of collaboration and support in creative processes. With Gerwig’s guidance, Robbie was able to transform her uncertainty into a confident performance, which is crucial given how closely watched the Barbie film has been. This example may encourage other performers to acknowledge their vulnerabilities while pursuing demanding roles.
