Viewers of Babylon, an enthralling historical drama, have questioned whether the plot it depicts is based on real events.
Hollywood’s transition from the silent film period to sound pictures during the Roaring 20s, describes the ascent and fall of various people.
Several well-known actors and actresses, including Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, are featured in the ensemble cast of the television show Babylon. Damien Chazelle, known for award-winning films including Whiplash from 2014 and La La Land from 2016, is the film’s critically acclaimed director.
Early reviews of Babylon compared it to The Wolf of Wall Street from 2013 and said it was over the top. Its length, slightly over three hours, is comparable to that of many epic films. Margot Robbie portrays Nellie LaRoy, a gorgeous, self-assured, and amusing Jersey native who wants to become a Hollywood star. One of the most enduring characters in the movie is LaRoy.
Who Margot Robbie’s Nellie LaRoy Is Based On
Several real-life actors served as inspiration for Margot Robbie‘s portrayal of Nellie LaRoy in the television series Babylon. She is most famously modeled on well-known actresses from the time, like Joan Crawford and Clara Bow.
Before appearing in the first talking pictures, screen superstar Joan Crawford performed in silent movies. A well-known actress from the time who successfully transitioned from silent cinema to talkies was Clara Bow, the enduring “It Girl.”
Given that a major theme of the movie Babylon is the business upheaval brought on by this change in filmmaking, it is not surprising that the characters in the movie were based on actresses who made this switch.
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Nellie LaRoy is Based on Several Real-Life Actors, Including Clara Bow and Joan Crawford
The real-life actors Clara Bow, Joan Crawford, Thelma Todd, Jeanne Eagels, and Alma Rubens all played the role of Nellie LaRoy in the movie. Clara Bow, like Nellie, had a challenging childhood and emigrated as quickly as she could from the east coast to the west coast.
The bow was also immediately employed because of her enthusiasm and presence, though not in quite the same way as Nellie. On the set of the 1924 picture Painted People, Bow, and Colleen Moore got into a physical struggle that serves as the inspiration for Nellie’s argument with Constance Moore.
Nellie in Babylon makes references to Bow’s gambling issues, relationships, business pursuits, and demise. Lucille Fay LeSueur, Joan Crawford’s birth name, served as the model for Nellie LaRoy in the movie. Like Nellie, Crawford snuck into events and danced recklessly while donning attractive attire.
She was also incredibly gifted and could command the screen better than others. Nellie is similar to celebrities like Jeanne Eagels, Alma Rubens, and Thelma Todd who battled addiction and passed away too soon.
Are Any Characters Real In Babylon?
There is one character from Babylon who satisfies these requirements, despite the fact that it initially appeared that none of the characters from the show met them. Irving Thalberg was a very real person, and Max Minghella, famed for The Social Network, plays him.
Due to his propensity for directing box office hits at the time, Thalberg was dubbed “The Boy Wonder.” At the age of 26, he was appointed MGM’s CEO, and he contributed to the studio’s rise to one of Hollywood’s most dominant entities. Sadly, he would pass away too soon, at the age of 37, from pneumonia.
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Is “Babylon” Based on a True Story?
The tale of “Babylon” is fictional, despite the fact that it was heavily influenced by real people; the movie’s historical backdrop is undoubtedly accurate; and our key characters are only loosely based on historical individuals. Clara Bow, Joan Crawford, Jeanne Eagels, and Alma Rubens are all incorporated into Robbie’s Nellie LaRoy as early Hollywood legends.
Clark Gable, John Gilbert, and Douglas Fairbanks all served as inspirations for Pitt’s Jack Conrad role.
Only producer Irving Thalberg, played by Max Minghella, is based on a real person. Bow and Colleen Moore got into a physical conflict on the set of the 1924 picture Painted People, which served as inspiration for Nellie’s argument with Constance Moore on the set of the movie.
Nellie in Babylon makes mention of Bow’s issues with gambling, relationships, business interests, and demise. Nellie LaRoy, who plays Joan Crawford in the movie, takes her moniker from her birth name, Lucille Fay LeSueur. Crawford did the same things Nellie did: she snuck into parties, danced madly, and wore attractive clothes.
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She was also incredibly gifted and had a unique ability to control the screen. Nellie is comparable to celebrities who fought substance misuse and succumbed to it early, such as Jeanne Eagels, Alma Rubens, and Thelma Todd.
