Focus Made Fans Think Will Smith and Margot Robbie Were Having an Affair

Two of the silver screen’s most dazzling and sensational stars combined forces when they headlined the 2015 crime dramedy Focus, which marked the first collaboration between the talented Will Smith and Margot Robbie and followed the dynamic duo as they portrayed con artists looking for a major score while inadvertently falling in love with one another along the way. The stylish flick highlighted the pair’s sizzling on-screen chemistry, which naturally led to rumors that the actors were having an affair behind the scenes.

Though the salacious rumors were quickly dispelled, that didn’t stop curious moviegoers from heading to the theater to see what all the fuss was about, helping Focus become a box-office success and gross over $158 million while further establishing Robbie as a major Hollywood leading lady. Let’s check out the origins of the headline-grabbing rumors and explore how Focus proved to be a major stepping stone in Margot Robbie’s electrifying career.

A Sleek & Sexy Crime Dramedy

Hollywood heavy hitters Will Smith and Margot Robbie teamed up to headline the stylish and sexy 2015 crime dramedy Focus, which follows seasoned con artist Nicky Spurgeon as he crosses paths with the ambitious novice Jess Barrett in New Orleans, taking the blonde beauty under his wing and teaching her the tricks of the deceptive trade. When the two begin to grow closer and romantic feelings form, Nicky becomes increasingly uncomfortable as he was taught to never become intimate with his associates, ultimately leading him to cut ties with Jess and leave her behind in The Big Easy.

Three years later, Nicky is working a high-stakes scheme in Buenos Aires when he gets a blast from the past in the form of Jess, who is now a polished femme fatale and targeting the billionaire motorsport owner, Rafael Garriga (Rodrigo Santoro). Naturally, emotions run high between the estranged pair as they are unexpectedly reunited, prompting the calculating duo to face their unresolved feelings as they once again team up to carry out a potentially life-changing con. Keeping up their ruse and not losing their focus will prove to be quite the challenge for the two savvy con artists.

Smith & Robbie’s Electrifying Chemistry Causes a Stir

When two of the entertainment industry’s most buzzed-about movie stars join forces for a big-screen production, the rumor mill is bound to be set ablaze, which is exactly what happened to Will Smith and Margot Robbie. Filming for Focus took place between September and December 2013 and the internet was sent into a tizzy when seemingly compromising photos of the two actors began to circulate online, with photo booth images of a shirtless Smith and lingerie-flashing Robbie spreading like wildfire.

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Tabloids quickly took the photos and ran with them, claiming the two were having a behind-the-scenes affair despite Smith being married to Jada Pinkett Smith. However, the “controversy” proved to be nothing but some innocent on-set shenanigans as both the Oscar-nominated actress and media outlet E! News quickly dispelled the salacious rumors. According to E! News’ trusted source at the time, These pictures were commissioned by production. The entire cast and crew saw them taken. The photo booth was on set all day for a bit of fun.” Robbie herself even tweeted about the tabloid rumor and expressed her disappointment:

“Been working non-stop, just catching my breath. There’s absolutely no truth to the ridiculous rumor in Star mag… It’s disappointing that goofing around on set could be taken so out of context.”

After the dust had finally settled over the alleged “affair” photos, audiences flocked to theaters to witness the sizzling chemistry between Smith and Robbie on-screen, with Focus making its dazzling debut on February 27, 2015. The crime dramedy garnered a mixed bag response from critics, with many praising the engrossing performances by the two lead stars and its clever premise but feeling as though it was a run-of-the-mill caper that relied too heavily on common clichés. Focus went on to gross over $158 million on a $50 million budget, with the Chicago Sun-Times calling it “sheer, escapist entertainment from start to finish.”

A Major Career Stepping Stone For Robbie

At the time of its debut, Margot Robbie was still establishing herself as one of Hollywood’s most talented and endearing silver screen staples, having most notably appeared alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s Golden Globe-winning hit The Wolf of Wall Street. Her performance in Focus further showcased her allure as an actress and highlighted her stellar talents in spite of the crime dramedy’s lukewarm critical response, with Rolling Stone declaring, “Robbie is wow and then some. Even when Focus fumbles, [she] deals a winning hand.”

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Focus served as a huge stepping stone in Robbie’s enviable career as the following year she would go on to tackle the iconic role of the delightfully deranged Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad (reuniting with Smith), a portrayal that truly put her on the map and became a fan-favorite portrayal. Robbie went on to star in a slew of box office knockouts and critically acclaimed triumphs, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in I, Tonya and in hits like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Bombshell, Birds of Prey, and in the 2023 worldwide phenomenon Barbie, which shattered records and grossed over $1.4 billion.

Robbie has continued to demonstrate her impeccable acting prowess and keen eye for the entertainment business, as she has also produced lauded films such as Promising Young Woman and Saltburn in addition to the television shows Dollface and Maid. The dynamic and extremely gifted performer’s next project will be in the upcoming romance fantasy A Big Bold Beautiful Journey opposite Colin Farrell and she will also headline the cinematic adaptation of Emily Brontë’s literary classic Wuthering Heights alongside Jacob Elordi.

Stream Focus on Netflix on November 5.