Movies

Will Smith & Margot Robbie’s Hidden Thriller

BBG News

A year prior to the release of “Suicide Squad“, Will Smith starred in the less popular film “Focus”, a 2015 crime comedy-drama written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. Although “Focus” didn’t achieve worldwide fame like “Suicide Squad”, it garnered a higher rating on Rotten Tomatoes – “Focus” has a decent 56% rating, while “Suicide Squad” has a low 26%. In keeping with its above-average Rotten Tomatoes score, “Focus” was also successful at the box office, earning approximately $168 million against a budget of $65 million.

With more than 40 acting credits under his belt, Will Smith is a well-established actor whose notable roles include the Men in Black series, Independence Day, Hitch, and I Am Legend. In contrast, Margot Robbie gained her Hollywood fame by starring in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. Given their individual successes, it’s natural to expect that Will Smith and Margot Robbie would thrive as co-leads.

Margot Robbie Was Unimpressed by Will Smith at First

Will Smith Was Late to Margot Robbie’s Focus Audition

Despite the seamless filming experience that Margot Robbie and Will Smith had on the set of ‘Focus’, her audition as the character Jess Barrett was quite a challenge. Just days before the movie’s premiere in 2015, she found herself vacationing off the coast of Croatia when unexpectedly, she received a call to audition for ‘Focus’. This impromptu journey from Croatia to New York wasn’t simple; it involved numerous hurdles for Robbie. She had to navigate a last-minute catamaran ride, a layover in France, and a lengthy wait of twelve hours across two airports. To add to her troubles, she also lost her luggage during this unexpected trip.

Regardless of all the hurdles Robbie faced returning to the U.S., she managed to arrive on time for her audition for the movie ‘Focus’. Smith, who played the character Nicky Spurgeon, was delayed due to travel from Queens. In light of this, it’s not surprising that Robbie pointed out Smith’s tardiness when she called them. Given that she had just completed a last-minute trip halfway around the globe, it’s understandable that Robbie couldn’t help but do so.

Will Smith & Margot Robbie’s Chemistry Elevated Focus

Will Smith & Margot Robbie’s Performances in Focus Felt Natural

It’s common knowledge that not every actor selection turns out to be a success. Sometimes, an actor might seem perfectly suited for a role on paper or deliver impressive auditions, but when the camera starts rolling, they simply fail to meet expectations. The natural chemistry between actors is something that either exists or doesn’t; they can attempt to create a relationship or dynamic as dictated by the script, but discerning audiences can easily tell if two (or more) actors truly understand each other’s energy on set.

In the movie “Focus”, both Margot Robbie and Will Smith deliver exceptional performances in their individual scenes as well as their collaborative ones. From the very beginning when Jess tries unsuccessfully to swindle Nicky, the conman, Robbie skillfully plays her part, capturing the audience’s attention and keeping them on tenterhooks. The tension between Jess and Nicky never subsides, not even after years of being apart due to Nicky helping out. When Smith and Robbie come back together in “Focus”, they seamlessly pick up from where they left off. Their chemistry is as powerful as ever, even with Jess being with billionaire Rafael Garriga.

Will Smith & Margot Robbie Sparked Romance Rumors

Margot Robbie Admitted That Will Smith Was a Good Kisser

Speculations about a romantic involvement or hidden relationship between Will Smith and Margot Robbie have persisted since they began filming Focus back in 2013. During production, their close proximity and shared photobooth photos sparked curiosity among onlookers. One such photo showed Robbie with her shirt raised and Smith appearing to be without a shirt, leading to much speculation. However, Robbie’s subsequent comments about her Focus co-star did little to quell the rumors. For instance, she mentioned that Smith used breath spray that smelled like Christmas, and that their kissing scenes were not as unpleasant as one might expect.

Over time, Margot Robbie and Will Smith have been close friends, but never romantically involved; Robbie even mentioned she wouldn’t date another actor (Robbie married Tom Ackerley in 2016). As for Smith, his friendship with Robbie has always remained platonic, as reported by insiders. This friendship did not impact Smith’s relationship with his then-wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Suicide Squad Cut Will Smith & Margot Robbie’s Relationship

Deadshot & Harley Quinn Are the Couple That Never Was

Originally, Margot Robbie and Will Smith were set to reprise their romantic roles from another movie in “Suicide Squad”, but the brief romance between Harley Quinn and Deadshot didn’t make it to the final version. David Ayer, the director, later disclosed that there was an intended connection between these characters, but it was removed during reshoots. Following the film’s 2016 release, fans have been clamoring for Ayer to release a director’s cut of “Suicide Squad” after a picture surfaced showing Deadshot and Harley Quinn in a kiss. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that fans of the DC Universe will ever witness Ayer’s original vision come to life.

Speaking as a cinephile, I must admit that “Focus” and “Suicide Squad” are two distinct movies, yet they share some intriguing similarities when it comes to their characters. Just like Nicky in “Focus,” Deadshot from the DC Universe is an expert in his field and has a complex past. While Nicky’s morals might be debatable, he stands firm by them in the movie, much like Deadshot who, despite being a hired gun, isn’t entirely without scruples.

On the flip side, Jess in “Focus,” similar to Harley Quinn, is a character with a vibrant personality and a tendency to trust too easily. Yet, there’s an unpredictability to both of them that makes their journeys hard to foresee. So, while they may seem different on the surface, there are indeed parallels to be found between these characters from two distinct films.

In summary, “Focus” is not a poor movie overall, but the standout aspects are undeniably the performances of Will Smith and Margot Robbie. The title of the film is introduced in the first 15 minutes to impart a significant life lesson to Robbie’s character. However, the movie is filled with numerous unexpected twists and turns that leave viewers feeling as if they’ve been tricked themselves by the end, which may explain why it has received a rather lukewarm response.

In essence, while the storyline of the movie “Focus” might not be exceptional enough to spark conversations at home, it’s undeniably the magnetic personas of Will Smith and Margot Robbie that have significantly contributed to its success. Unlike many films where the action and suspense form the backbone of the narrative, in this case, Smith and Robbie manage to drive the plot forward through their engaging dialogue alone. The inclusion of actors BD Wong as Liyuan and Adrian Martinez as Farhad has added a pleasant chemistry to the ensemble cast. Regardless of the film they appear in together, it’s safe to say that Margot Robbie and Will Smith always deliver top-notch performances, as evidenced by their work in “Focus.

Read More

2025-04-28 16:06

Previous post 9 War Movies So Inaccurate, They’ll Shock You!
Next post The Boys S3 Recap: Herogasm, Soldier Boy, & Homelander’s Father Revealed