Margot Robbie has defended Damien Chazelle’s Babylon in a new interview, a film that was infamously a flop. Set in the late 1920s, the epic historical black comedy film stars Robbie as Nellie LaRoy and Brad Pitt as Jack Conrad, showcasing the rise and fall of various characters as Hollywood transitions from silent films to ones with sound.

Despite Babylon‘s star-studded cast, when it premiered in 2022, critics and audiences were divided. Babylon was also a box office disappointment, grossing just $65.2 million on an $80 million budget. However, opinion of the film has changed over time, as it currently has a 57% Tomatometer and 52% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes.

Now, in a recent interview with Letterboxd, Margot Robbie defended Babylon, saying: “It’s an amazing movie and one I’m very, very proud of being in.” When asked if she had a message for Babylon fans, Robbie was surprised, jokingly saying she “always wondered if you people were out there,” due to its poor reception. Check out her full statement below:

I always wondered if you people were out there, ’cause when it got slated at the time, both critically and at the box office, I was confused ’cause I think it’s an amazing movie, and one I’m very, very proud of being in.

And I always thought maybe this will be like one of those movies that 20 years later everyone’s like, “Oh my God, Babylon didn’t do well at the time? That’s crazy.”

I didn’t even have to wait that long. So if you love Babylon, I love you, and we think alike when it comes to movies.

What Margot Robbie’s Comments Means For Babylon

Robbie was correct in her initial prediction that Babylon would be one of those films that gets better with time. After its critical and commercial failure, Robbie was “confused” as she felt the film was great. Since its release, critics and audiences alike have re-evaluated their initial reactions, and Babylon has gained more notoriety.

Robbie has featured in plenty of fantastic films, and the fact that she is proud of Babylon despite its divisiveness shows she is willing to stand behind stories that she agrees with, even if they underperform. Furthermore, her remarks underscore the importance of actors taking risky projects, even if they flop commercially, as they may eventually be unearthed as an underrated gem.

Our Take On Babylon’s Reception

Babylon was never built to be universally loved, which is why it outlasted its initial backlash. Damien Chazelle’s maximalist vision split audiences because it was chaotic, indulgent, and tonally wild. However, it’s also undeniably ambitious. While critics were right to point out its flaws — the pacing, the excess, the dizzying structure — many missed the film’s deeper messages.

Babylon‘s box office failure was seen as proof that “original” adult dramas can’t survive theatrically anymore, but box office isn’t always the best measure of a film’s value, especially in the streaming age. Therefore, we’d argue that Babylon has earned its cult status, as messy and divisive as it is, as it’s the kind of film history tends to remember.