Margot On the rocks
The Aussie actress’ rocky love-life puts a dampener on her career high
She should be feeling on top of the world with her first Oscar win potentially right around the corner, but behind the scenes, Margot Robbie is dealing with heartbreak as her marriage to assistant director Tom Ackerley unravels.
The Aussie actress’ burgeoning fame and her British husband’s resentment at being seen as “Mr Robbie” have reportedly been putting a major strain on their relationship for months. Now, a close friend of the couple tells Woman’s Day they’re “barely speaking”. What’s more, Tom’s walked out!
“Tom’s been struggling to deal with Margot’s surging fame since they moved to LA, and they’ve been growing apart over the last few months,” the friend says. “Tom’s been refusing to go to most social or work events with Margot, and he walked out on her just a few weeks before her Oscar nomination, which took all the happiness out of it for her.”
PRESSURES OF FAME
There have been claims of tension between the two – who married in Byron Bay in December 2016 – for a while now, as Margot’s red-hot Hollywood career continues to eclipse her husband’s film achievements.
Although Tom co-produced I, Tonya with his wife through their production company Luckychap Entertainment, it’s Margot who’s
been getting all the attention and praise for her acting. Now, our source says, it’s all become too much for 28-year-old Tom.
“He’s been staying with friends, and Margot’s best friend has flown into LA to be with her. She’s trying to put on a brave face, but inside she’s heartbroken and telling friends how lonely and isolated she feels. She’s even questioning her career now, after what it’s done to her marriage.”
The Wolf Of Wall Street star has previously admitted her hectic workload and the pressures of fame can be overwhelming. “There are obviously a lot of times where I’ll have a meltdown and go, ‘I can’t do it anymore,’” she said late last year.
And in a sign her personal life was also under strain, Margot, 27, appeared a touch sensitive when asked about her marriage to Tom. “I was doing a press conference [for I, Tonya] and they kept asking me what it was like to be married,” she says. “I said, ‘Being married is not my achievement’ .” While Margot insists she loves working with Tom because it means they “actually get to spend time together”, there have also been reports that some in her inner circle believe he’s holding her back. “Margot and Tom are having a tough time with all the haters,” explains another source. “The critics think he’s bitten off more than he can chew in Hollywood. Basically, there’s a view within certain circles that Margot’s outgrown him, professionally at least.” Sadly for the couple, their supposed marital problems don’t end there. The friend tells Woman’s Day Tom also started feeling a little concerned about all the high-profile Hollywood men Margot has befriended as a result of her latest string of roles. And with her marriage under strain, we’re told Margot’s been relying on these friendships – and those with her girlfriends. Just weeks ago, sources say, the couple got into an argument in front of other guests at the SAG Awards – and she spent much of the night catching up with her hunky Legend Of Tarzan co-star Alexander Skarsgard.
While Margot would never be disloyal to her husband, it’s not the first time Tom has been accused of being green-eyed when it comes to Margot’s leading men, with US sources claiming he was upset by her closeness to her Suicide Squad co-star Jared Leto in 2016.
TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK
Despite this tension, and for now at least, Margot is keeping up appearances and insists her husband understands what her unusual job demands of her.
“It would be very hard to explain this job to someone who doesn’t work in the industry,” she says.
“Actors date actors because they understand the job. Dating a crew member is the same. The hours are weird. There’s the bond you create with people on set. It’s a very intimate setting.”
Still, her close friends say she’s “petrified” of her marriage crumbling if she and Tom don’t sort out their issues – and soon.
“Margot loves Tom desperately and wants to make it work,” the friend adds.
“He’s due to be by her side at the Oscars for his producing role on I, Tonya, but there are questions over whether he’ll even sit with her, as tensions are so high.”
‘Tom’s been struggling to deal with Margot’s surging fame’