There's nothing I dislike more than being in a photo shoot where they say, 'Be yourself.' That's not why I became an actress. That's what I find so funny: that you become an actor, and all of a sudden, everyone wants to know about you. But I didn't become an actor so I could show you me.

The quote, "There's nothing I dislike more than being in a photo shoot where they say, 'Be yourself.' That's not why I became an actress. That's what I find so funny: that you become an actor, and all of a sudden, everyone wants to know about you. But I didn't become an actor so I could show you me," by Margot Robbie, expresses her discomfort with the expectation that actors should always present their true selves to the public. Robbie, known for her roles in films like The Wolf of Wall Street and I, Tonya, contrasts the art of acting—where one plays a character—with the personal exposure that comes with fame. She highlights the irony that, as an actor, the focus shifts from portraying fictional roles to being expected to reveal one's personal identity.

Robbie’s statement reflects the conflict between privacy and the public demand for actors to be transparent about their personal lives. She makes a distinction between her job as an actor, where she portrays various characters, and the pressure she feels to share her own life and personality in real life. The expectation to "be yourself" in a photo shoot contradicts her profession as an actress, where the purpose is to embody someone else rather than to expose her authentic self.

The origin of this quote comes from Robbie’s experience navigating the challenges of celebrity and the entertainment industry. As an actor who has gained significant attention for her talent, she likely encounters frequent publicity events where personal questions are asked, and she’s expected to act as both a public figure and a private individual. Her words reflect the irony she feels about the entertainment industry’s focus on actors as individuals rather than as professionals in a craft.

Ultimately, Robbie’s quote critiques the expectation that actors must continually balance their public persona with their private identity. She points out the humor in how people expect actors to share themselves, even though their primary role is to disappear into other characters. Her comments reflect the tension between acting as a profession and the personal exposure that comes with fame, emphasizing the complexity of being a public figure.