Margot Robbie wants men to watch female-led movies

By Claire Gregory, arts and entertainment reporter

Margot Robbie says she thinks men need to open themselves up to watching female-led movies.

The star was speaking to Sky News at the premiere of her new film Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn).

She produced the film, which as well as having a mostly female cast was written by a woman – Christina Hodson – and directed by a woman – Cathy Yan.

Robbie told Sky News she hopes men are open to seeing it.

She said: “I hope that guys watch films with female leads as much as they watch ones with male leads.

“‘Cause I watch films despite the gender of the protagonist and find a way to relate just on y’know human behaviour.

“I feel if more men watch female-driven content they’d find a way to relate as well.”

The film is about Harley Quinn, the character she first played in Suicide Squad, but instead of focusing on her relationship with the Joker, this movie sees her leaving him behind and working with other women to protect a girl.

Robbie said that while she champions female film-makers, she was ultimately looking for the right people to make the movie.

She explained: “It was a big priority for me to always seek opportunities for women because they categorically and historically get fewer opportunities.

“However, at the end of the day, the best person for the job should get the job and if the best person that came in was a guy we would have had a guy directing this film, but Cathy [Yan – director] was the best person for this job.”

Robbie seemed resigned to a lack of female nominees in the directing categories at this year’s BAFTAs and Oscars.

“I hope that’s not the case next year,” she said.

“I loved a lot of movies this year, I loved movies that were directed by phenomenal female directors as well, but yeah, what can you do?”

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Robbie herself is nominated twice in the supporting actress category at the BAFTAs – once for her role in Bombshell and also for playing Sharon Tate in Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood.

She admitted that her family weren’t letting it go to her head.

“My brother was kind enough to say to me today, even if you win, you’d still lose,” she laughed.

“And I was like ‘thanks for that’. But no, honestly being nominated is the biggest honour, I couldn’t expect more.”

Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) is out in cinemas in the UK on 7 February.