Margot Robbie to receive AACTA ‘Trailblazer Award’ at star-studded ceremony on home turf

Acclaimed actor Margot Robbie is set to make her grand return to the Gold Coast in February for the 2024 AACTA Awards, where she will be honoured with the Trailblazer Award.

Queensland golden girl Margot Robbie will return to the Gold Coast to pick up one of Australia’s most coveted acting awards next month after controversially missing out on an Oscar nomination.

Robbie will make a star appearance at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA), being held in Queensland for the first time on February 10.

At the ceremony, to be held in her home town of the Gold Coast, the 33-year-old Barbie star will receive the distinguished AACTA Trailblazer Award in honour of her extraordinary contribution to the film industry as an actor and producer.

Australian actor Margot Robbie arrives for the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on January 7, 2024. (Photo by Michael TRAN / AFP)

“I am truly honoured to accept the AACTA Trailblazer Award, especially in my hometown on the Gold Coast,” Robbie said.

“Australia has always been my grounding force, and to receive this recognition here is incredibly special.

“Thank you to AACTA for this tremendous honour and I look forward to celebrating with the Australian screen industry in Queensland next month.”

The award ceremony, to be held at the Home of the Arts (HOTA), will be a homecoming celebration for Robbie, following the tremendous success of her latest film ‘Barbie’ at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards.

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Margot Robbie accepts the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement for "Barbie" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 via Getty Images)

But Robbie and Barbie director Greta Gerwig were snubbed for Best Actress and Best Directing gongs respectively, sparking accusations of misogyny and sexism with co-star Ryan Gosling – who was nominated – also voicing outrage.

The AACTA Trailblazer Award, previously awarded to Australian icons like Chris Hemsworth, Rose Byrne, Simon Baker and Isla Fisher recognises the achievements of an Australian screen practitioner whose work inspires others.

Margot Robbie attends the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards. Picture: Jon Kopaloff/WireImage

Robbie’s journey from the Gold Coast to Hollywood has been meteoric, earning her widespread acclaim for roles in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “I, Tonya,” “Bombshell,” and as Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad” and “Birds of Prey.”

Robbie’s impact extends beyond acting.

Through her production company, LuckyChap, she has championed female-driven stories, notably in her dual role as lead actor and producer in Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster “Barbie,” which grossed over $1.4 billion worldwide.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling on the set of Barbie. Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures

The awards ceremony, to be hosted by actor Rebel Wilson, is poised to be a spectacular showcase of Australian talent, with some of the nation’s biggest stars set to descend on the Gold Coast under a three-year deal with the Queensland government.

Gold Coast is set for film success.

Other notable stars set to attend include Cate Blanchett, Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer, Teresa Palmer, Marta Dusseldorp, Tom Gleeson, Leah Purcell, and Harry Connick Jnr.

Robbie was last in Australia in November, spotted at Domanis restaurant on Gold Coast’s Main Beach.

Robbie also visited Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves (HSW). There, she toured with HSW founder and director Adam Flaskas and later celebrated at the chic Mr Percival’s restaurant, promoting her gin line, Papa Salt.