Warning: This post contains minor spoilers for Babylon
Margot Robbie has continued proving that she is a star, but her latest role in Babylon will remind viewers why she was the perfect choice to play Harley Quinn in the DC Universe. Robbie has portrayed a plethora of characters over the course of her career, but Harley Quinn is perhaps one of her most memorable roles thus far, having played the character in three DC films — 2016’s Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.
In Babylon, Robbie’s version of Harley Quinn a standout.
How Margot Robbie’s Nellie & Harley Quinn Are Similar
In Babylon’s opening scene, Margot Robbie’s Nellie drives a car into a statue before crashing a party she wasn’t invited to. Nellie LaRoy, an aspiring film actress, is excessive, head-strong, and spunky. She doesn’t always think before she acts, but is unashamed of her background, and ultimately does what she feels like when she feels like it. Many of these characteristics are similar to that of Robbie’s Harley Quinn, who is brash, fearless, and unfiltered. The comic book character is also strong and generally knows what she wants and how to get it, which echoes Nellie’s trajectory in Babylon.
Both of Robbie’s characters have a lot of gumption, and it feels like the actress poured a bit of Harley Quinn’s traits into her Babylon role, especially in the way Nellie carries herself in the first half of the film. While Harley Quinn is co-dependent on Joker and is fueled by her relationship with him while it lasts, Nellie LaRoy is fueled by her career and the fame it brings her during her time in the spotlight. The two characters are also wildly different, and live under entirely disparate circumstances, but there are occasional traces of Harley Quinn in Nellie in Robbie’s performance.
Why Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn Casting Was Perfect
There was a lot of pressure to get Harley Quinn right, especially considering Robbie’s turn as the character was the first live-action depiction. Robbie’s casting was perfect because she understood Harley Quinn and did a lot of research for the role — not by reading comics, but by reading up on things that helped Robbie understand Harley’s psyche, especially as it related to her devotion to the Joker.
Robbie brought a sense of balance to the DC character’s chaotic, uninhibited, and violent tendencies, while showcasing the heart, humor, and intelligence that Harley also possessed. What’s more, Robbie knew how to have fun with the character, never veering too far into grim territory. She showcased Harley Quinn’s humanity, while making her someone to root for. Harley Quinn has always had many layers, and Robbie expertly taps into all of them to deliver a memorable performance every time.
Is Margot Robbie’s Future As Harley Quinn In Jeopardy?
There has been a lot of chaos and abrupt changes within DC Studios recently. Director James Gunn and Peter Safran were leading DC, Henry Cavill, who had confirmed his return as Superman, was no longer a part of the DCU’s future, Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3 was shelved, and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam was not getting a sequel anytime soon. Suffice it to say that Margot Robbie’s future as Harley Quinn could also be facing obstacles as DC’s future is reimagined and moves further away from any of its previous film offerings. It remains unclear if Robbie will ever return to play Harley Quinn, at least for the time being.
That said, Robbie starred in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, which heavily featured her version of Harley Quinn, and she might have a better chance of returning to play the DC character in the future. What’s more, it helps that Harley Quinn isn’t a part of the DC Trinity (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) or a member of the Justice League, which potentially leaves the door open for her eventual return to the role. Even if the DC Universe reboots everything from its DCEU days, Robbie has made her mark as Harley Quinn, and there’s always a way to bring her back — even if it’s not for a long time.
