The Wolf of Wall Street is the 2013 Jordan Belfort biopic, which featured Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role and Margot Robbie, as Naomi Lapaglia.
Overview
The Wolf of Wall Street is the Martin Scorsese directed film featuring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role of Jordan Belfort. While the film is most memorable for its Oscar upset, when DiCaprio was snubbed of his Best Male Actor in a Leading Role at the 2014 Oscars, it was also Margot Robbie’s breakout role.
Robbie played Naomi Lapaglia, who was a fictionalised character of Jordan Belfort’s second wife, who was there for a majority of the events that took place, including her husband’s downward spiral, as his illegal dealings came to roost.
What is the premise of The Wolf of Wall Street?
The Wolf of Wall Street is a biopic film that is based on the real-life character and Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort. The film premiered in 2013, and it was directed by legendary filmmaker, Martin Scorsese.
The three-hour long fast-paced biopic follows Belfort’s rise and fall from grace as his millionaire life as a stockbroker comes crumbling down due to his drug addiction and illegal activities.
While the biopic does feature characters based on existing real-life people, it did take liberties by creating fictionalised versions, like Naomi Lapaglia, who was played by acclaimed Australian actress Margot Robbie.
Who is Margot Robbie in The Wolf of Wall Street?
Considered her breakout role, Margot Robbie played The Wolf of Wall Street’s Naomi Lapaglia. The character was the fictionalised version of Belfort’s second wife, who got married to Belfort at the height of his success and got to witness the events that took place, as his illegal activities came to light, as he was set to lose everything.
After featuring in The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie went on to feature and front critically and box office successful films including I, Tonya, Suicide Squad and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood.
Though Margot Robbie has established herself as a prominent Hollywood actress, she is still remembered for her breakout role.
In light of The Wolf of Wall Street being her breakout Hollywood role, in the years since starring in the critically acclaimed film, Robbie has shared some behind the scenes moments about the most uncomfortable scene that she had to shoot.
Further stating that it was the type of scene that she would never shoot again, due to her experience.
Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio’s chemistry
One of the most talked about dynamics of the film is the chemistry between Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio. This is as most of Robbie’s scenes were when she was shooting with DiCaprio, as Jordan Belfort’s wife.
One of the standout scenes between the two is the nursery scene, when Robbie’s character touches herself in front of her husband in the nursery after putting their child to sleep. Robbie later revealed that the scene was the most uncomfortable scene she had to shoot for the film.
Robbie’s most uncomfortable scene in The Wolf of Wall Street
When Margot Robbie spoke about the most uncomfortable scene that she had to shoot for The Wolf of Wall Street, she expressed that it was the nursery scene. The scene features Robbie as Lapaglia flirting with her husband as she touches herself in their child’s nursery.
Revealing the reality of shooting the scene, she stated, “It doesn’t come across when you’re watching the movie, but in reality, we’re in a tiny bedroom with 30 crew (all men) crammed in.”
Adding, “And for 17 hours I’m pretending to be touching myself. It’s just a very weird thing and you have to bury the embarrassment and absurdity, really deep, and fully commit.”
A scene Margot Robbie regrets shooting
In 2017, during an interview with The Daily Beast, Margot Robbie revealed that there’s a particular scene that she regrets shooting for The Wolf of Wall Street, which she further stressed that she would never do again, given the chance. The scene in question is the intimate scene between Lapaglia and Belfort, when they have sex on a bed of money.
Robbie revealed the reality of shooting the scene by stating, “I got a million paper cuts on my back from all that money! It’s not as glamorous as it sounds. If anyone is ever planning on having sex on top of a pile of cash: don’t.”
Conclusion
Martin Scorsese’s critically acclaimed 2013 biopic, The Wolf of Wall Street nabbed five nominations during 2014’s Oscar nominations. However, the biggest upset for film insiders and aficionados alike was Leonardo DiCaprio not getting a nod in the form of a win, for his performance as Jordan Belfort.
While DiCaprio’s 2013 shun by the Oscars might have upset film lovers, the film did set the upward trajectory of Australian actress Margot Robbie, as this was considered her Hollywood breakout role which led to her subsequent leading roles.