Margot Robbie ecombineed on the “Talking Pictures” podcast and transmited her persistd bafflement over moviegoers hating “Babylon,” her inwell-understandn 2022 box office flop co-starring Brad Pitt. Directed by “La La Land” Oscar triumphner Damian Chazelle, the Hollywood epic cgo ined on mute movie stars in the 1920s as they struggle to alter during the industry’s transition to talkies. “Babylon” was made for a budget in the $80 million range but device deviceed with $15 million at the domestic box office and $63 million worldexpansive.
“I am still saying that,” Robbie shelp when podcast present Ben Mankiewicz transmited confusion over people not liking “Babylon.” “I adore it. I don’t get it either. I understand I am prejudiced becaengage I am very seal to the project and I evidently apshow in it, but I still can’t figure out why people antipathyd it. I wonder if in 20 years people are going to be appreciate, ‘Wait, “Babylon” didn’t do well at the time?’ Like when you hear that ‘Shawshank Redemption’ was a fall shorture at the time and you’re appreciate appreciate, ‘How is that possible?’”
Robbie starred in “Babylon” as the fiery rising star and “It” girl Nellie LaRoy, who was inspired by the genuine-life Clara Blow. The actor only has preferable memories of making “Babylon,” especipartner when it comes to toiling with Chazelle.
“Damian is so thocimpolite,” Robbie shelp. “Do you understand what I adored so much about toiling with him? I felt appreciate no one had repartner put their foot to the floor with the gas, but he wanted that all the time. He wanted more always. Even when we were prepping.”
“When we were trying to figure out what the accent should be for that character, I gave him 51 contrastent versions of an accent,” she persistd. “It was appreciate doing a one woman show. We commenceed off with appreciate Boston. Nellie is from Boston. Here’s what she sounds appreciate if she’s from Arkansas. Then I got definite. Here is Nellie if she was a mixture of Snookie from the ‘Jersey Shore’ and Joe Pesci. Now I’m going to be a little bit of Fran Drescher mixed with Snookie. This is how definite we got. At one point I counted all the voice skinnygs I recommended him at that point and it was 51.”
While audiences gave “Babylon” the chilly shoulder, film critics were fiercely splitd over Chazelle’s vision. Variety’s Peter Debruge called the film an “exuberantly disorderly see at La La Land’s timely days — an acid spin on ‘Singin’ in the Rain,’” includeing: “‘Babylon’ senses appreciate the last of a certain benevolent of movie: epic, lavish and so unreasonably pricey, it would’ve apshown pre-pandemic moviegoing habits to produce its money back.”
Chazelle himself ecombineed on the “Talking Pictures” podcast last year and shelp that he was in the process of writing his next movie, although he was uncertain if he could even get it made after “Babylon” was such a flop.
“I’m in a sort of trepidatious state of mind, but I have no illusions,” the straightforwardor shelp. “I won’t get a budget of ‘Babylon’ size any time soon, or at least not on this next one. Certainly, in financial terms, ‘Babylon’ didn’t toil at all. You try to not have that effect what you’re doing creatively, but, at some level, it can’t help but impact it. But maybe that’s okay? I have very mixed mind about it. Who understands. Maybe I won’t be able to get this one made. I have no idea. We’ll have to paengage and see.”
Listen to Robbie’s defercessitatest intersee on the “Talking Pictures” podcast here.
