In a surprising revelation, global superstar Margot Robbie has shared that her authentic Australian accent was considered "too Aussie" even for the iconic Australian soap opera, Neighbours. The Queensland-born actress, now 35, detailed how producers requested she soften her pronounced ocker twang upon landing the role of Donna Freedman in 2008.
A Dialect Coach for an Australian Soap
During a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Robbie explained, "I haven't done really an Aussie accent since I was on Neighbours. This isn't as Queensland…my accent used to be so strong." She humorously recounted her initial confusion, stating, "I couldn't hear that I had a bad accent, so I was like, 'what do ya mean'."
The situation escalated to the point where producers intervened directly. "They were like, 'you're just awful to listen to. We're going to send you off to work with this woman, and it'll round out your accent'," Robbie revealed. Consequently, she worked with a dialect coach to moderate her natural speech patterns, a move she found ironic given the show's Australian setting.
From Ramsay Street to Hollywood
Robbie's tenure on Neighbours, which ran from 2008 to 2011 and included over 350 episodes, served as a significant launchpad for her career. Prior to her Hollywood breakthrough in 2013, she also made guest appearances on Australian series like City Homicide and Review With Myles Barlow. The soap itself concluded its remarkable 40-year run in 2025.
Her latest cinematic venture is a fresh adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel, Wuthering Heights, where she stars opposite Jacob Elordi. The film features original songs by Charli XCX and is directed by Emerald Fennell.
An Outrageous Early Career Gift
In a separate interview promoting the new adaptation, Robbie recounted an unsettling gift from a male co-star early in her career. "Very, very early in my career, an actor I worked with, a male actor, gave me a book called Why French Women Don't Get Fat," she shared, describing it as the worst present she ever received.
Robbie interpreted the 2007 book by Mireille Guiliano as essentially instructing her to "eat less." Her reaction was one of clear indignation: "I was like, 'Whoa, f*** you, dude'." She noted the incident occurred "really back in the day" and suggested the actor was not an A-lister, as she has "no idea where he would even be now."
These candid disclosures offer a glimpse into the unexpected challenges and unprofessional encounters Robbie navigated during her ascent from Australian television to international film stardom.
