Margot Robbie’s latest promotional appearance for Wuthering Heights has ignited a fresh wave of online scrutiny.
On January 28, the Oscar nominee donned a daring red-carpet look that was swiftly torn apart by critics who compared it to everything from a “bathing suit with sleeves” to a “figure skating costume”.
The viral outfit frenzy comes amid intensifying online chatter surrounding Robbie and her co-star, Jacob Elordi, fueled by persistent whispers of “emotional cheating”.
Highlights
- Margot Robbie’s "medieval-inspired" red carpet look was widely mocked, with critics comparing it to a "bathing suit with sleeves" and a figure skating costume.
- Fans noted Robbie’s stiff body language and her attempts to manage an ultra-short hemline, leading to claims that the outfit was "wearing her."
- The outfit backlash collided with intensifying speculation regarding Robbie and co-star Jacob Elordi, following their admissions of a "mutual obsession" on set.
- This is the latest in a string of controversies for the film, following previous outcries over "inappropriate" costumes and a perceived lack of chemistry in Vogue.
Margot Robbie’s medieval-inspired promo outfit for Wuthering Heights left viewers confused rather than impressed
Image credits: Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty Images
The 35-year-old star stepped out at a Wuthering Heights photocall in Los Angeles wearing what many described as her most polarizing look yet.
The actress opted for a racy, medieval-inspired ensemble featuring a beaded, structural bra, a snakeskin-print leather corset, and an ultra-short miniskirt, which immediately drew significant attention and criticism.
She complemented the look with scarlet pumps, a choker, and a monochromatic red makeup palette.
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
However, instead of landing as high-fashion method dressing, many online viewers felt it missed the mark entirely.
“It looks like a bathing suit with long sleeves, no? I don’t think I understand fashion at all,” one viewer commented.
“That dress belongs to which period exactly??? Method dressing?” another asked.
“It almost looks like a figure skating costume,” a third added.
Image credits: David Jon/Getty Images
She was joined by Jacob Elordi, who opted for a well-tailored beige jacket, a black top, white slacks, leather loafers, and a statement watch.
As images circulated online, viewers zeroed in on Robbie’s body language, with several claiming she looked uncomfortable.
“It’s wearing her”: Detractors claimed Robbie looked visibly uncomfortable in the outfit
Image credits: David Jon/Getty Images
In the highly anticipated adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel, Robbie plays Catherine while Elordi takes on the role of Heathcliff.
Photos from the event highlighted the Barbie actress repeatedly holding her hands close to her thighs, a detail many netizens interpreted as an attempt to manage the extremely short hemline.
Image credits: David Jon/Getty Images
“Kinda feel like it’s way too short so she’s keeping her hands stuck to the tops of her thighs and in front of her crotch,” one user noted.
“This fit goes crazy, but it’s definitely wearing her. She does not look comfortable at all,” another wrote.
“She’s so beautiful, but this outfit is odd, the top is bulky, and the bottom is nothing,” a third added.
Robbie’s Wuthering Heights promo outfit backlash collided with “cheating” rumors involving Jacob Elordi
Image credits: David Jon/Getty Images
The timing of the outfit controversy comes amid lingering online debate over her relationship with Wuthering Heights co-star Jacob Elordi.
The speculation was fueled by recent interviews in which both stars described developing a “mutual obsession” during filming.
In a conversation with Fandango on January 14, Robbie admitted she felt “really unnerved and unmoored” when Elordi wasn’t nearby on set, likening the feeling to a “kid without their blanket.”
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
Elordi echoed that sentiment, adding, “If you have the opportunity to share a film set with Margot Robbie, you’re going to make sure you’re within five to ten meters at all times.”
Those comments, combined with their recent intimate Vogue Australia photoshoot, prompted accusations of cheating, particularly since the actress is married to film producer Tom Ackerley, with whom she welcomed a baby boy in October 2024.
Image credits: vogueaustralia
“How is this not cheating?” one commenter asked at the time.
“I can feel the husband’s pain,” another wrote.
Beyond that, Robbie’s recent revealing promo outfit also showcased her wearing a matching signet ring linked to Elordi, which only added fuel to an already simmering discourse.
This isn’t the first time Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights look has been slammed
The backlash fits into a larger pattern surrounding Wuthering Heights.
Previous set photos showing Robbie in a voluminous off-the-shoulder white gown sparked similar outrage, with fans calling the costume “inappropriate” and questioning her age for the role of Catherine Earnshaw.
“Seeing Margot Robbie in that godawful dress just ruined my entire week,” one critic wrote at the time.
Others accused the adaptation of veering toward “soft p*rn”, especially after the film’s teaser leaned heavily into erotic imagery.
Even the Vogue photoshoot meant to elevate the film’s prestige was widely panned, with viewers claiming Robbie and Elordi had “zero chemistry”.
“The whole campaign is WEIRD,” one commenter summed up.
Wuthering Heights is set for a theatrical release on February 13, 2026.
"Looks like a Stranger Things costume," wrote one netizen
