Margot Robbie has opened up about what she describes as the worst gift she ever received, recalling an early career moment that left her shocked and offended.
The Australian actress and producer shared the story during a video interview with Charli xcx for Complexwhere she was asked to name the most unpleasant gift she had ever received.
Robbie said the incident happened “very, very early” in her career when a male actor she worked with gave her a copy of Why French women don’t get fat.
“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 fatand it was basically a book telling you to eat less,” Robbie, 35, said.
The lifestyle book by Mireille Guiliano was published in 2007.
Robbie made it clear how she felt about the gesture at the time, adding: “I was like, ‘Wow, f— you, dude’.”
She explained that the gift “really came back today” and said she has no idea where the actor is now.
Charli xcx quickly jumped in with a joke, turning to the camera and saying, “Your career is over, honey.”
Reflecting further, Robbie said the message behind the gift was unmistakable. “He essentially gave me a book to tell me to lose weight,” she said.
“I was like, ‘Wow.'”
The conversation took place while Robbie is promoting Wuthering Heightswriter-director Emerald Fennell’s new adaptation of the Emily Brontë classic, which hits theaters on Friday, February 13.
Robbie directs the film, while Charli xcx, 33, has contributed original music to the project.
The pop star also shared her own disturbing experience when discussing bad gifts, telling Robbie that she once received “a little jar of one of my fan’s mum’s ashes”.
Describing it as “a jar on a necklace”, she admitted she didn’t know what to do with it, adding: “I just didn’t quite know what to do with it … I don’t know where it is now.”
Wuthering Heights also stars Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell, and is set to open in cinemas on Friday 13 February.
