Margot Robbie Says She Makes Movies for the Audience, Not Critics

The 'Wuthering Heights' producer-actress prioritizes the emotional experience of moviegoers over critical reception.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Margot Robbie, the Oscar-nominated actress and producer, says she makes films with the audience in mind, not critics. In an interview, Robbie explained that she's never on set thinking about what critics will think, but rather focuses on creating an emotional experience for the people who will buy tickets to see the movie. She said she enjoys working with director Emerald Fennell, who shares a similar philosophy of prioritizing the audience's experience over 'heady ideas.' Robbie also got a preview of the audience reaction to her new film 'Wuthering Heights' when she screened it for a group of her friends at a fake bachelorette party, where they reacted with enthusiastic fandom.

Why it matters

Robbie's approach to filmmaking, prioritizing the audience experience over critical reception, reflects a broader debate in the entertainment industry about the role and influence of critics versus general moviegoers. Her comments highlight how some creators aim to connect directly with the public rather than worrying about pleasing critics, which can sometimes have a different set of priorities and tastes.

The details

In an interview with Vogue Australia, Robbie explained her 'simple' filmmaking philosophy, saying 'I just believe you should make movies for the people who are going to buy tickets to see the movies.' She said she's 'never, ever been on set and thought, 'What are the critics going to think of this?' but instead focuses on 'What's an audience going to feel right now? What's their emotional response going to be?' Robbie also praised her 'Wuthering Heights' director Emerald Fennell for sharing a similar approach of prioritizing the audience's emotional experience over 'heady ideas.' Ahead of the film's release, Robbie got a preview of the audience reaction when she screened it for a group of her friends at a fake bachelorette party, where they reacted with enthusiastic fandom, especially towards co-star Jacob Elordi.

  • The interview with Robbie was published on February 16, 2026.
  • Wuthering Heights was released in theaters on Valentine's Day 2026.

The players

Margot Robbie

A 35-year-old Oscar-nominated actress and producer known for films like 'Suicide Squad' and 'I, Tonya.'

Emerald Fennell

The writer and director of the new film 'Wuthering Heights,' which Robbie stars in and produced.

Jacob Elordi

Robbie's co-star in 'Wuthering Heights,' playing the role of Heathcliff.

Joel Edgerton

The moderator who interviewed Robbie and Elordi for Vogue Australia.

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What they’re saying

“I just believe you should make movies for the people who are going to buy tickets to see the movies. It's as simple as that.”

— Margot Robbie, Actress and Producer (Vogue Australia)

“I love working with Emerald, too, because she always prioritizes an emotional experience over a heady idea. She's very smart and she's got great ideas and all this kind of stuff, but she will let a cool idea fall by the wayside to offer the option that is going to be most exciting for an audience. And I really appreciate that about her.”

— Margot Robbie, Actress and Producer (Vogue Australia)

What’s next

Wuthering Heights is in theaters now, and audiences will continue to react to the film in the coming weeks and months.

The takeaway

Margot Robbie's approach to filmmaking, focused on connecting directly with audiences rather than worrying about critical reception, reflects a broader industry trend of creators prioritizing the emotional experience of general moviegoers over the opinions of professional critics.