The Suicide Squad Star Margot Robbie Is The Rare Superhero Actor Who Hates Lifting Weights

Margot Robbie in The Suicide Squad

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Given the massive popularity of the superhero genre, there are a number of shared universes currently in play. For DC, one of the characters Warner Bros. has clearly invested in is Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. Her third movie as the femme fatale is coming with James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, and fans can't wait to see what comes next for the beloved character. And while Robbie is experienced in playing Harley, she doesn't enjoy lifting weights when getting into supervillain shape.

Getting a comic book role is a dream gig for many actors, but it also comes with a great deal of responsibility. One has to guard spoilers, work long hours, and also get into superhero shape. We've seen as countless actors got ripped for these roles, but it turns out that Margot Robbie had a difficult time lifting weights when working out. As she explained,

I found boxing sessions and fighting practice for Suicide Squad really fun, but quickly realized I wasn’t so much a fan of lifting weights. When I’m not preparing for a role, I prefer to do workouts I really like, such as dance classes or playing tennis with friends

Same, though. While figures like Dwayne Johnson and Brie Larson have invested in expensive home gyms and seem to love lifting, Margot Robbie is simply not one of those actors. And when she's not gearing up to play Harley, the Oscar-nominated actress stays in shape with more fun types of physical activity.

Margot Robbie's comments to Australian Women's Health show what it's really like playing an iconic comic book role like Harley Quinn. While the actress remains in shape to play Harley Quinn (especially after her super revealing costume in David Ayer's 2017 Suicide Squad), it's not about lifting. Instead she boxes, does pilates, dances, and plays tennis.

DC fans can re-watch Margot Robbie's time in the DCEU on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

This process of getting into shape was repeated for Margot Robbie ahead of filming James Gun's The Suicide Squad. The R-rated movie will be a sequel/reboot to the 2017 original, and will feature a handful of returning faces. Check out the latest trailer below.

Given this new footage, anticipation for The Suicide Squad is at a fever pitch. Comic book fans are thrilled to see Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn behind the camera, and that the villain-centric blockbuster will be rated R. There's no telling what twists and turns the filmmaker has in store, but smart money says many of the members of Task Force X will die throughout its runtime.

After wrapping on The Suicide Squad, James Gunn continued the story of a new character: John Cena's Peacemaker. He'll be getting his own show on HBO Max, which should feature some cast members from the movie. After that Gunn will pivot back to the MCU for a variety of Guardians content, including the threequel and a holiday special.

The Suicide Squad will arrive in theaters and on HBO Max August 6th. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.