The Wolf of Wall Street was Margot Robbie’s breakout role, putting her on the Hollywood map in a big way. Robbie has had an impressive movie career so far. She not only starred alongside big names like Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street but has also earned Oscar nominations for I, Tonya, Bombshell, and Barbie. Robbie has also proven to be a box office draw, with Barbie eclipsing $1 billion, and her role as Harley Quinn in the DCU bringing in lots of money as well.

Robbie launched her career in film and television with the 2008 series City Homicide. Years later, she was cast in 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street as Naomi Lapaglia, the second wife of DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort. The film, directed by Martin Scorsese, is based on the real-life events that transpired in the stockbroker’s life. Robbie’s age was a factor in her casting; Olivia Wilde had auditioned for the role of Naomi ahead of production but was considered too old to play the part. Compared to the rest of the film’s cast, however, Robbie was considerably younger.

Margot Robbie Was 22 Years Old When Filming The Wolf Of Wall Street

Robbie Was 16 Years Younger Than Leonardo DiCaprio

Margot Robbie was only 22 years old when filming began on The Wolf of Wall Street in August 2012. The actress was born in July 1990, so she was just 22 years old when production began on the film. By the time the movie was released in December 2013, Robbie had turned 23 and was being cast in several other roles, having drawn a lot of attention for her portrayal of Naomi. In real life, Robbie’s character was only a tad bit older when she married Jordan Belfort in the early 90s.

Leonardo DiCaprio was 38 years old when he played Belfort, and 39 at the time the film was released. Belfort was in his late 20s and early 30s during the majority of the film’s events. That’s a mᴀssive age difference between Robbie and DiCaprio, especially considering the age difference between Belfort and Naomi was smaller. Age aside, the actress said that her experience making The Wolf of Wall Street and the fame that followed its release almost made her quit acting, but the experience helped her handle Hollywood.

The Real Naomi Lapaglia Was Only 22 Years Old When She Met Jordan Belfort

Robbie Was Close To The Same Age As Naomi

Naomi Lapaglia, whose real name is Nadine Macaluso, was 22 when she met Jordan Belfort and was around 24 when they married in 1991. While there is a large age gap between Robbie and DiCaprio, the actress’s age is accurate for her real-life counterpart. Macaluso was married to Belfort until their divorce in 2005. Although her name was changed for the movie, Macaluso worked with Margot Robbie and her speech coach to perfect her accent for The Wolf of Wall Street. Robbie being 22 during filming is a rare instance in which the actress’ age matches her real-life counterpart.

Margot Robbie Was Nervous Filming Wolf Of Wall Street

Margot Robbie almost quit acting after her experience working with Martin Scorsese on The Wolf of Wall Street. Thankfully, she persevered and has three Oscar nominations to show for it, but she has said that she was very nervous when working on the movie. Robbie remembered her audition and how she improvised, saying she actually slapped DiCaprio in the face, “I hit him in the face. And then I scream, ‘F**k you!’ And that’s not in the script at all. The room just went ᴅᴇᴀᴅ silent and I froze” (via Collider).

Robbie said she thought it cost her the role, but Martin Scorsese later said that was the moment she “clinched her part.” Despite that, Robbie remained nervous through the entire shoot:

“When I was playing Naomi in The Wolf of Wolf Street, it was so high-tempo Sєxy. I was acutely aware that the line in the screenplay was ‘the H๏τtest blonde ever.’ I was just terrified that people would see the movie and think, ‘Eugh! She’s not that great.’

Her body is her only form of currency in this world. So when Marty was trying to help me out, and said in the scene where she seduces Jordan perhaps I could have a robe on, I said she wouldn’t. She has to be naked. I had a couple of sH๏τs of tequila before that scene because I was nervous – very, very nervous.”

The role helped make Margot Robbie a star, even though she had almost quit acting after appearing in The Wolf of Wall Street​​​​​. She said that roles after that movie were not great, and she felt this might not be the right profession for her. Her mom convinced her otherwise: “Something was happening in those early stages, and it was all pretty awful, and I remember saying to my mom, ‘I don’t think I want to do this.’ And she just looked at me, completely straight-faced, and was like, ‘Darling, I think it’s too late not to.“