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Director regrets cut scene showing Margot Robbie's armpit hair

From Der Standard · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Director Emerald Fennell regrets that a scene featuring Margot Robbie's hairy armpits was cut from her film adaptation of "Wuthering Heights."
  • Fennell believes historical adaptations often present overly smooth and unrealistic portrayals of women.
  • She aimed for "embarrassing" authenticity in her film, contrasting with the typical "slippery smoothness" of young women in period dramas.

Director Emerald Fennell expressed disappointment that a scene intended to showcase Margot Robbie's natural armpit hair was ultimately excluded from the final cut of their film adaptation of "Wuthering Heights."

Fennell, who directed the 2026 adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel, stated at the Hay Festival that she found the "slippery smoothness" often depicted in young women in historical dramas, such as those based on Austen or Brontë works, to be unrealistic. Her aesthetic goal for the film was to embrace a sense of "embarrassing" authenticity.

extremely hairy armpits

— Emerald FennellDescribing Margot Robbie's character's appearance in the film.

Robbie's character, Cathy, was depicted with "extremely hairy armpits" in the film. However, Fennell lamented that "unfortunately, the scene where they are visible did not make it into the film." This decision, she implied, aligns with a broader trend in historical adaptations that tend to present women with overly smooth, often uncomfortably so, underarms.

The director's comments highlight a tension between artistic vision and conventional presentation in period filmmaking. Fennell's desire to challenge idealized beauty standards by including such a detail suggests a commitment to a more grounded and perhaps provocative portrayal of female characters in historical settings.

unfortunately, the scene where they are visible did not make it into the film.

— Emerald FennellExpressing regret over the cut scene.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Der Standard in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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