Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Margot Robbie paid off her mother’s mortgage with movie earnings from breakout role

Australian actor, 33, ‘completely’ paid off her mum’s mortgage in 2014 for her 60th birthday

Inga Parkel
Wednesday 26 July 2023 06:02 EDT
Comments
The Wolf of Wall Street Exclusive Interview With Jonah Hill And Margot Robbie

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Margot Robbie has said she was able to “completely” pay off her mother’s mortgage once she made “enough money” following her breakout role.

In 2013, the Australian actor, 33, starred in Martin Scorsese’s crime drama The Wolf of Wall Street opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. It was Robbie’s portrayal of Naomi Lapaglia, the wife of real-life stock market scammer and manipulator Jordan Belfort, that shot her to fame.

According to News.com.au, Robbie paid off her mum Sarie Kessler’s entire mortgage for her 60th birthday one year after the film.

“She’d take money out of the house mortgage, lend me money, so I always knew I got to pay that back,” the Barbie star said on the latest episode of CBS’s Sunday Morning.

“And then one day, when I made enough money, I just paid that whole mortgage off completely. I was like, ‘Mum, don’t even worry about that mortgage anymore. It doesn’t even exist anymore.’

“Everything I owed my mum, I had it written down,” Robbie continued, adding that she “kept” that piece of paper. “Honestly, anyone in my position... you’d do that for your mum,” she said.

Robbie’s previously spoken about her mother coming to her aid when she experienced one of her “lowest moments” after her Wolf of Wall Street fame. She was only 23 at the time.

Margot Robbie and her mother Sarie Kessler (L)
Margot Robbie and her mother Sarie Kessler (L) (AFP via Getty Images)

“Something was happening in those early stages and it was all pretty awful, and I remember saying to my mum, ‘I don’t think I want to do this,’” the actor recalled in a 2022 interview with Vanity Fair.

“And she just looked at me, completely straight-faced, and was like, ‘Darling, I think it’s too late not to.’ That’s when I realised the only way was forward.”

Robbie can currently be seen leading Greta Gerwig’s critical and box office hit, Barbie, as the popular Mattel doll who ventures into the real world to find her life’s purpose.

Since its release, the movie has been lauded by critics, with The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey calling it a “near-miraculous achievement” in her five-star review.

It’s already on track to be the biggest release of the year, earning $337m (£288.3m) at the global box office in its first weekend.

Barbie is out in cinemas now.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in