In the cover story of Vogue’s June issue, Australian actress Margot Robbie is referred to as Hollywood’s 25-year-old “girl of the moment.” This description (written by a man) is both irritating and untrue, as writers should not be describing women as “girls,” and 30-year-old women should not be described as “25.”
Robbie’s age has been the subject of the internet’s (as well as my former coworker’s) fascination for several years, and with good reason. Though there are plenty of rumors about actors and actresses who lie about their ages, those who don’t believe Robbie is actually 25 are in the unique position of having receipts. Or, at least, something close to them.
In June of 2008, The Sydney Morning Herald had a few things to say about an up-and-coming actress named Margot Robbie. They wrote:
The fresh crop of Neighbours actors was in Sydney yesterday. One of the newest, Margot Robbie, had her first appearance on air on Monday, playing a groupie with stalker tendencies. The 23-year-old actress from the Gold Coast opted to attend a Sex And The City: The Movie screening instead of staying home to watch the episode.
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That Margot Robbie was a 23-year-old actress in 2008 and a 25-year-old actress in 2016 could mean one of two things: either she’s only aged two years since the first Sex and the City movie entered theaters, or she’s 30 years old, soon 31. On Wikipedia, her birthday is listed as July 2, 1990, as it is on IMDB, however, please note the caveat:
I’m not angered by this lie. It’s a symptom of our youth-obsessed culture. And we’re all familiar with how hard it is for women in Hollywood to get acting work as they age out of their twenties. It’s just sort of shocking—and a little impressive—that Robbie (much like fellow Australian Rebel Wilson) has been brazen enough to shave five or six years off her age when it’s so easy to find proof in this day and age that she’s lying.
I’ve reached out to Robbie’s publicist for comment, and will update the post if they respond.
UPDATE: A Twitter user named Stephen Murray has directed me to an article in Australia’s Daily Telegraph, published 12 days after the Sydney Morning Herald piece, in which Robbie is referred to as a 17 year old “rising talent.”
They write:
For 17-year-old Robbie, who cut short a five-week holiday in Canada after just two days when she learned she got the role, landing a part on Neighbours has been a welcome challenge.
Murray also sent me these screengrabs of articles backing up the Telegraph’s report, but I could not locate them online. I’ve yet to hear from her publicist, because honestly why would anyone bother writing me back about this?
Image via Getty.