Margot Robbie says selling her gin business idea was easier than selling “Barbie.” Considering the mania and absolute obsession over the Barbie movie last summer, one might guess it was an easy sell to Hollywood studios. Wrong.
Movies are a crazy business where you are selling something that isn’t tangible, it’s an idea,
said Robbie, the illustrious Australian actress who played Barbie in the beloved movie that made a whopping $1.4 billion at box offices. You have no idea how much it’s going to make, who’s going to see it, if they’ll see it or how it will be received.
The Tangibility of Business
What has been more of a sure thing for Robbie is the recent launch of her gin brand Papa Salt. Inspired by her many nights out clubbing in London’s Clapham neighborhood. This feels a lot more straightforward, it’s easier to predict things,
Robbie said about getting into the alcohol business. You can lay this out on a spreadsheet in a way that you can’t lay out a movie idea.
A Flair for Marketing G&T
The idea for the subtly flavored gin goes back to when Robbie would pack vanilla tea bags in her purse during her nights out at Infernos, a nightclub frequented by her and thousands of other Aussie Londoners.
Gin and tonics were her go-to drink, but they didn’t always taste good. However, if she popped one of these tea bags in—boom! Instant improvement. She’d buy a round and just hand them out.
A Tasty Mission
Robbie and her fellow Papa Salt cofounders were on a mission to make a gin that could complement any soda, taste great with tonic, and make a mean martini,
according to the company’s website. It took them 59 recipes to get there, but now they’re selling an “easy-drinking gin” celebrating the subtle taste of native Australian botanicals like zesty wax flower, hibiscus, and citrus peel. Nutty wattleseed, pink peppercorn, and oyster shell also join the mix.
The Gin Journey
While it was easier to sell an idea for a gin brand than a movie, creating a great-tasting alcohol wasn’t effortless. Robbie traveled to Australia to meet Brian Restall, owner of a wildly popular distillery there. They got absolutely sh**faced
discussing the brand; but according to Forbes Australia, it didn’t take long for Restall to be sold on the idea.
Robbie’s Wealth and Acclaim
Although Barbie undoubtedly revived Robbie’s spotlight role last summer, she’s also appeared in numerous other hit movies and TV shows. Starting with Australian soap opera Neighbours with over 300 episodes under her belt, she became globally known playing Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street. Other notable roles include Jane Porter in The Legend of Tarzan, Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad movies, and winning an Academy Award for portraying Tonya Harding in I, Tonya.
A Versatile Talent and Producer
Robbie is worth an estimated $60 million, encompassing proceeds from major films and her production company LuckyChap Entertainment. Reflecting on her dual career,There’s only so much you can do as an actor. As a producer you get to be part of discussions about hiring and pay decisions.
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