Margot Robbie Says She and ‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig Are “The New Scorsese and De Niro”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 28 November 2023

Now this is the kind of confidence we love to see—at last night’s Gotham Awards in New York City, Margot Robbie—who both starred in and produced one of 2023’s biggest blockbusters, Barbie—compared herself and the film’s director Greta Gerwig to “Scorsese and De Niro,” Entertainment Tonight reports, referring, of course, to legendary director Martin Scorsese and iconic actor Robert De Niro, who often collaborate on movies together. (Think Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, and, most recently, Killers of the Flower Moon.)

At the awards ceremony last night, Robbie and Gerwig were overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness as they accepted the Gotham Global Icon and Creator Tribute. “The Gotham Awards have been part of my experience of being part of the filmmaking community—especially independent films in New York—really from the very beginning,” Gerwig said. “Every time I’ve gotten to attend this event, it’s been inspiring and thrilling to see this group of filmmakers come together and honor their work. Honestly, I just feel very blessed.”

The hit film raked in an astonishing $1.44 billion worldwide, making it the 14th highest-earning movie of all time, and distributor Warner Bros.’ most successful film of 2023. Gerwig also now holds the distinction of becoming the first female director to helm a movie that crossed the $1 billion threshold.

It goes without saying that Robbie and Gerwig are a powerhouse team, and Robbie is aware of the force of a Robbie-Gerwig collaboration: “We might be the new, you know, Scorsese and De Niro,” she said. “Or Scorsese and Leo, you know?” (Leonardo DiCaprio is also a frequent collaborator of the director’s. Fun fact you can take to your next dinner party: Killers of the Flower Moon is the first time Scorsese has worked with both De Niro and DiCaprio on the same project.) She added, “What I mean to say is, you have to work with me again at least another four times,” Robbie said to Gerwig with a laugh.

As to Oscar buzz already generating for Barbie, “We’re not getting ahead of ourselves,” Robbie said. “This is wonderful enough.” Gerwig added “We do not want to jinx a thing.”

Though Robbie all but quashed any hope of a Barbie 2 in a recent interview, Gerwig said, per Entertainment Tonight, that the original could have been quadruple its length. “I mean, there’s a million things that got left on the cutting room floor that are incredible moments,” she said. “I mean, I would say most of them that I miss are just alternate takes of what we already had in. I mean, you know, I wish the movie could be eight hours long. Every part of the cast was so talented.”

As to Gerwig’s take on a potential sequel? “I mean, at the moment we are at zero,” she said. “I feel like I’m tapped out. But, I mean, life is long. You never know.” So you’re saying there’s a chance?!

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

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