Margot Robbie Joins George Clooney, The Rock, and Ryan Reynolds in the Alcohol Business: ‘It’s Easier Than Selling a Movie’
Margot Robbie, the Australian actress known for her roles in blockbuster hits like “Barbie” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” is expanding her horizons beyond the silver screen. Following in the footsteps of fellow Hollywood A-listers George Clooney, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Ryan Reynolds, Robbie has ventured into the alcohol industry. She recently launched her own gin brand, Papa Salt, in London, and she finds this new business endeavor to be “easier than selling a movie.”
Robbie, who co-runs the production company LuckyChap Entertainment with her husband Tom Ackerley and others, spoke to The Times about her new venture. She explained why she believes the alcohol business is more straightforward compared to the unpredictable nature of the film industry. “Movies are a crazy business where you are selling something that isn’t tangible, it’s an idea. 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. This feels a lot more straightforward, it’s easier to predict things. You can lay this out on a spreadsheet in a way that you can’t lay out a movie idea,” she said.
The film industry is indeed known for its unpredictability. Even with a strong concept and positive reviews, a movie’s success ultimately depends on the subjective tastes of audiences. For instance, “The Fall Guy” was projected to earn $30-35 million at the weekend box office but only managed to pull in $27.7 million despite favorable reviews. In contrast, the business model for alcohol is more predictable and easier to manage, according to Robbie.
The idea for Papa Salt originated from Robbie and Ackerley’s shared love of gin, along with their friends Josey McNamara, Charlie Maas, and Regan Riskas Maas. They struggled to find a gin they liked in Los Angeles, which led Robbie to experiment with adding vanilla tea bags to improve the taste—a tip she picked up from a backpacker. This unique twist inspired the creation of Papa Salt, which aims to offer customers a taste of an Australian beach day in every sip. Robbie emphasized that she didn’t want the gin to be known solely as “Margot Robbie’s gin” but rather as a collaborative effort among five best friends.
Robbie is not the first celebrity to dive into the alcohol business. George Clooney co-founded Casamigos Tequila in 2013, which was later sold to British alcohol company Diageo in 2017. The Rock launched Teremana Small Batch Tequila, and Ryan Reynolds acquired a stake in Aviation American Gin. These ventures have proven to be highly successful, with The Rock even boasting that his brand sold a million cases in a year compared to Casamigos’ 170,000 cases annually.
Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation American Gin also gained significant popularity, even inspiring a fan to create a Green Lantern gin by mixing it with Mountain Dew. The success of these celebrity-owned alcohol brands demonstrates the lucrative potential of the industry, making it an attractive option for stars looking to diversify their portfolios.
Despite her new business venture, Robbie has no plans to step away from acting. She is set to appear in the upcoming film “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” and continues to work on various projects through her production company. Some of her upcoming projects include “My Old Ass,” starring Aubrey Plaza, a film inspired by the classic board game Monopoly, and a movie adaptation of “The Sims.”
Robbie’s foray into the alcohol industry is a testament to her entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to explore new opportunities. As she continues to balance her acting career with her business ventures, it will be interesting to see how Papa Salt fares in the competitive world of spirits. Given her track record of success in the entertainment industry, it’s likely that Robbie will find similar success with her gin brand.
In the meantime, fans can look forward to her upcoming projects and perhaps even enjoy a sip of Papa Salt while watching her latest films. As Robbie herself might say, there’s no better way to toast to continued success than with a glass of gin crafted by five best friends.
Source: The Times, Warner Bros.
