Margot Robbie is accustomed to playing the role of beauty icons, from Queen Elizabeth I and Sharon Tate to Barbie and Harley Quinn. She currently serves as the face of Chanel N°5, the most recognizable scent from the fashion house.
In honor of the event, the actress co-stars with Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi in the short film See You at 5, which was helmed by Luca Guadagnino (Challengers and Call Me By Your Name). Next year, the two actors will also appear in Emerald Fennell’s production of Wuthering Heights.
“I’ve obviously been working with Chanel for a couple of years now, but this is the most iconic fragrance and within a timeless, iconic brand,” she informs me. “It’s a great honor, and Chanel N°5 has previously featured so many amazing women as its faces. It still amazes me that I get to be a member of that family.
On a bright Tuesday afternoon, I’m speaking with Robbie from Los Angeles, who shares with me her fascinating—though, she admits, a little erratic—beauty and wellness regimen, her developing bond with Chanel N°5, and the painstaking on-screen hair and makeup makeovers for which she is most famous.
“I think my first memories are of the advertising photos with Nicole Kidman and Baz Luhrmann. Her clothing from that slow-motion picture of her rushing down the street comes to mind when I think of Chanel N°5. N°5 and Chanel photo shoots in general are surrounded by a lot of classic imagery. Every new ad is fascinating, whether it features Nicole in the streets of New York immediately following her role in Moulin Rouge, Marion Cotillard and Dancing On The Moon, or Gisele Bündchen surfing.
“In my opinion, the most famous ones are the Ridley Scott ads from the 1980s, which served as a major source of inspiration for the photo session in which I’m dressed in a red suit. It resembles Carole Bouquet’s suit quite a little. Having that heritage is incredible, and it’s good that we can honor it in small ways as we go.”
“Choosing a perfume for each of my characters is something I always do with them. I’m not the only one who thinks this, as I know many others do, but I believe that smells have the power to transport me and truly anchor me in a memory or mood. Even now, I can still smell some perfumes and recall the specific individual who wore them when I was fifteen or at a particular point in my life. It instantly transports you there and grounds you in a specific time, place, or individual. You can put on the hair and makeup and go to work feeling like yourself, which is why I find it so useful when constructing a character.
“Everywhere I look, I find inspiration. We use reference photos to get a red carpet effect. It might be Brigitte Bardot or Lauren Hutton. The icons are always a source of inspiration for the characters I’ve portrayed or the people I’m working with. Catherine Deneuve, the face of Chanel No. 5, was featured in Barbie’s many pictures, especially in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. We have made a lot of references, Brigitte Bardot. The reason that icons endure is because you are compelled to try to replicate them in some way.
Now that I’m in my thirties, I feel as though I’ve discovered what works for me in a manner that I doubt I had discovered in my youth. Not as a teenager, for sure. Everybody has had the terrifying experience of wondering, “Why did I have that side fringe?” after looking at a picture. Although trends shift, occasionally they are simply poorly executed. I was still discovering what made me feel happy in my twenties. There are moments when you want to follow a craze or trend, but right now I would rather just highlight my best qualities.In addition to feeling the most genuine, I believe it also looks the best.
“A lot of water is consumed by me. I wear sunblock all the time. You hear all that dull stuff and think, “I know I should do all that.” I actually do all of that. Sunscreen is essential because I’m Australian. I applied my makeup really rapidly. I spend more time taking care of my skin after removing makeup or preparing my skin than I do actually putting on makeup.
“I’m not a very reliable individual. When it comes to exercise or wellbeing in general, that is undoubtedly my issue. I feel like I’m good sometimes and bad other times. I could probably become better, sleep more, and stick to my routine more consistently.
“I firmly believe in oxygen facials. For me, having an oxygen machine has changed everything. It really helps with melasma, which I also have. A lymphatic drainage massage is something I adore. Ricari is a business that uses machines, and I think it works incredibly well.
In terms of beauty, [the character] with whom I identify the most is a challenging one. The girl was wearing far too much makeup, so it was definitely not Queen Elizabeth. She’s so incredibly gorgeous that you can’t mention Sharon Tate. I believe that the inner joy of a person like Sharon Tate—both the role I portrayed and the real woman—is what really shines through and makes her even more stunning than she is on the outside. It’s a lovely aspirational goal.
Feeling like the best version of myself is when I feel most beautiful. When a lot of things are happening and it’s not me, I become a little uneasy. I can just enjoy whatever I’m doing when I’m completely at ease with my appearance and my attire.”