Margot Robbie's name has changed to Margot Elise Ackerley in the UK company documents for LuckyChap Entertainment, the production company she co-owns with her husband, Tom Ackerley. This information appears in the records of Companies House, the UK's business registry, and came to light in September, just before a significant anniversary for the couple.
The 36-year-old Australian actress remains one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces, but her legal surname has changed. However, professionally, all indications are that she will retain Margot Robbie , the name with which she has built an international career and which serves as a brand that is difficult to replace.
The change that appears in the British register
LuckyChap Entertainment documents show that the director's name has changed from Margot Elise Robbie to Margot Elise Ackerley . The actress had kept her maiden name on official documents since May 2015, when she was appointed director of the company, so the update has raised eyebrows.
This isn't a change of stage name, but rather a modification in the legal and corporate sphere. In fact, in the credits for Sterling Point , a project co-produced by LuckyChap, she still appears as Margot Robbie, reinforcing the idea that her professional surname remains unchanged.
Rumors about this matter had already been circulating in 2018. According to The Daily Telegraph at the time , the actress's name appeared as Margot Ackerley on a friend's wedding seating chart, a clue that now aligns with the publicly released documents.
Mixed reactions among followers
The move has generated a wide range of opinions. Some believe that Margot Ackerley doesn't sound the same as Margot Robbie and that the original surname carries enormous weight in the industry. On social media, there have been numerous comparisons to Barbie's feminist message , with comments suggesting that the character would never have adopted her husband's surname.
Others have greeted the news with enthusiasm. Some say Margot Ackerley sounds elegant , even like a Victorian novelist, while others have simply wished the couple well. The controversy, in any case, seems more symbolic than real: it affects the casting process, but not necessarily how audiences will see it on the big screen.
From Suite Française to LuckyChap: the story with Tom Ackerley
Robbie and Ackerley met in 2013 during the filming of Suite Française , a drama set during World War II. She was part of the cast, and he, originally from Surrey, England, was working as an assistant director. They were friends first, then roommates, and eventually their relationship blossomed into romance.
A year later, in 2014, they launched LuckyChap Entertainment with several partners. The production company has been behind titles such as I, Tonya, Birds of Prey, Barbie, and Saltburn, a list that demonstrates their partnership works both personally and professionally.
The couple married in December 2016 in a private ceremony in Byron Bay, Australia , far from the Hollywood spotlight. Robbie confirmed the engagement with an Instagram post showing off her ring, after not having publicly announced a formal engagement.
After the wedding, the couple postponed their honeymoon to work on I, Tonya , one of LuckyChap's first major productions. Ackerley has stated on more than one occasion that they don't separate their personal and professional lives: "We spend 24 hours a day together," she explained to the Sunday Times, adding that everything has become one and the same.
In October 2024, the couple welcomed their first child , a boy whose name has not been made public. They have both maintained a low profile regarding their family life, although they have made it clear that family is a top priority.
Even in the most mundane details, their close-knit team spirit is evident. They've recounted that one of their less significant arguments revolves around biscuits: whether Australian Tim Tams or British Penguins are better. A domestic anecdote that contrasts sharply with the industrial scale of their projects.
A career that carries on the Robbie name
Despite the change in the legal records, Margot Robbie remains the name the public associates with her films . At this point, her stage name carries enormous brand value, built on well-known roles and a constant presence in the industry. Any modification in that area would have more commercial than legal consequences.
It's no surprise, then, that LuckyChap has several projects in development. These include a live-action adaptation of The Sims , an Ocean's Eleven prequel directed by Bradley Cooper, and a new version of Sleepy Hollow starring Sydney Sweeney.
The question remains whether these future projects will retain the classic Margot Robbie name in the credits of her upcoming films , or if, at some point, the actress will decide to take the step of also using her legal name in promotional materials. For now, all signs point to her public persona not changing.
The situation, therefore, has a double meaning: Margot Elise Ackerley in British documents and Margot Robbie in the career that has made her a star. Her marriage to Tom Ackerley is about to reach its tenth anniversary, they have a son born in 2024, and her production company continues to grow. The surname has changed on paper, but it doesn't seem likely to erase the name that the public has been chanting for years.
