Content Advisory: This article discusses body hair, costume-drama accuracy, mature film scenes, and critical reaction to a movie adaptation. Reader discretion is advised.
Margot Robbie apparently committed to one very specific detail for ‘Wuthering Heights’, only for audiences to never see it.
Director Emerald Fennell revealed at the Hay Festival that Robbie grew out her armpit hair for a scene in the 2026 adaptation, because Fennell wanted to challenge the oddly polished look of women in period dramas. The scene, however, was cut from the final version of the movie.
The detail may sound small, but Fennell said it mattered to her because so many historical dramas ignore basic grooming realities of the era.
Margot Robbie’s Body Hair Scene Was Cut
Speaking at the festival in Wales, Fennell said it was “unfortunate” that Robbie’s body hair moment did not make the film.
“Cathy does have extremely hairy armpits in this version,” Fennell said. “Unfortunately, the scene where we see them didn’t make it in.”
Robbie played Catherine “Cathy” Earnshaw in the adaptation. According to Fennell, the choice was meant to push back against the unrealistic smoothness often shown in costume dramas.
“But it was so important to me,” Fennell said, “because where are the razors these women were using whenever I watch Jane Austen? They’re all hairless, like eels. What’s going on?”
The point was historical texture. Grooming standards in Regency-era England were not the same as modern red carpet standards, and Fennell wanted that reflected onscreen.
‘Wuthering Heights’ Mixed Period Detail With Modern Choices
The body hair detail may have been historically driven, but Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ was not a strictly traditional adaptation.
Robbie’s Cathy wore several modern-feeling pieces in the film, including a wedding look made with plastic and cellophane-style materials. The movie also included mature scenes that were not part of Emily Brontë’s original novel.
The soundtrack added another modern layer, with Charli XCX recording music for the film. Fennell defended that choice by saying she understood the emotional reason for the artist’s presence in the movie. “I don’t mind having Charli XCX because I understand emotionally why she’s there and I understand what she’s saying,” Fennell said.
Critics Were Harsh, But Audiences Showed Up
‘Wuthering Heights’ received rough reviews after release, with critics split over Fennell’s bold approach to the material.
Some reviewers criticized Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s performances, while others argued the film leaned too heavily into provocative imagery and melodrama. Fennell also took major criticism for turning Brontë’s novel into something far more stylized and modern than expected.
Despite that, the movie performed strongly at the box office. The film reportedly grossed more than $242 million worldwide on an $80 million budget, making it one of the bigger commercial hits of 2026 so far. It also performed well on streaming, reportedly debuting at No. 1 worldwide on HBO Max and topping charts in more than 32 countries within 24 hours.
Robbie Embraced The Intense Role
Before the film’s release, Robbie said fans should expect a much more physically expressive version of Cathy and Heathcliff’s relationship than the book offered.
She also said she enjoyed playing Cathy because of the character’s emotional swings. “I loved playing a character who kind of swings from one wild emotion to the other in an instant,” Robbie said.
In the end, the body hair scene did not survive the edit. But Fennell’s comments still reveal how far Robbie went for a period detail that most costume dramas quietly erase.
