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Margot Robbie Opens Up About Psychological Toll Of Filming 'I, Tonya'

Margot Robbie Opens Up About Psychological Toll Of Filming 'I, Tonya'

The 27-year-old actress said the line between real-life and her role became completely blurred

Paddy Maddison

Paddy Maddison

Pretending to be someone else in very intense bursts for months at a time can understandably put a bit of a strain on your mental wellbeing, but it's par for the course when you're one of Hollywood's leading ladies.

Margot Robbie was critically acclaimed for her recent role in the biographical I, Tonya, but in a recent interview with Grazia she revealed that playing the part as well as she did took a serious toll on her mental health.

Credit: Neon

The 27-year-old revealed how at points during filming, the line between real-life and the role she was playing of disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding became blurred.

At times, she genuinely thought she was the character, forgetting all about the cameras pointed at her.

She even punched her on screen husband in the head, believing an argument they were having for the film was genuine.

''I had lost my mind. I genuinely thought we were these people and we were off the set, running down the street screaming at each other and the cameras are running after us. I think I was screaming something about needing to go to hospital because my hand was broken.

Credit: Neon

''It wasn't, but I was so caught up in the moment. And Sebastian was like, 'Margot, where are you going?' He went to pick me up because I was continuing to tear down off set and I turned and punched him in the head."

Despite the film crew stopping the cameras because they were so freaked out by her behaviour, Margot claims she found the whole thing pretty exhilarating.

''A few times I've genuinely thought I wasn't on set and that I was that character in that time and in that place. To truly forget there's a camera in your face is really hard. When it does happen, it's really exhilarating. I don't know if it's because you're so tired when you're filming you're almost delusional.''

Credit: Neon

I, Tonya tells the story of Tonya Harding's life and career, with a particular focus on her connection to an attack on Olympic rival Nancy Kerrigan, in which Harding and her husband conspired to have Kerrigan's leg broken before the game.

While filming for the movie, Margot lost all feeling in her arm. After multiple scans, doctors eventually found out it was down to a neck injury.

''I don't think [the numb arm] was connected to the skating.

''[I had the scans] to make sure we weren't doing any real damage. I herniated a disc in my neck.''

Featured Image Credit: Neon

Topics: TV and Film, Celebrity, US Entertainment, Margot Robbie