Sex Education’s Emma Mackey responds to Margot Robbie comparisons

Emma Mackey and Margot Robbie

Emma Mackey, who plays Maeve Wiley in Netflix’s new hit show Sex Education, has said it’s “great” people have compared her to Margot Robbie, but asked fans to “focus on my job as opposed to my looks.”

Mackey, 23, spoke to PinkNews about having her looks likened to those of the 28-year-old I, Tonya actor.

“I mean it’s great, I’ll take it,” she told PinkNews.

“But I think Margot Robbie is, first and foremost, a very brilliant actress, actor.”

I’ll take the Margot Robbie comparison, says Sex Education‘s Emma Mackey

But Mackey said she wants to be judged based on her work in the new series.

“I hope that people will see past the physical aspects of my person and focus on my job as opposed to my looks, if that’s okay with you all,” said Mackey.

Mackey, who graduated from Leeds University in 2016, added: “But, no, it’s fine, Margot Robbie is great.”

Fans were quick to compare Mackey to Robbie after Sex Education premiered on January 11.

“I hope that people will see past the physical aspects of my person and focus on my job as opposed to my looks, if that’s okay with you all.”

—Emma Mackey

“Now i need emma mackey and margot robbie together in a movie or show or whatever they look so identical you can’t change my mind,” one person wrote.

Another said: “Emma mackey and margot robbie look so much alike. has anyone ever seen the two of them in a room together? no? what a weird coincidence.”

Emma Mackey

Emma Mackey as Maeve Wiley in Netflix’s Sex Education. (Netflix)

And a third posted: “The resemblance between Emma Mackey and Margot Robbie is astonishing.”


Sex Education has become a hit show, with Netflix reporting that it has already had more than 40 million viewers since its release.

It has been praised for its representation of LGBT+ sex and relationships, with one of the main characters being openly gay black teen Eric (Ncuti Gatwa).

Emma Mackey’s breakthrough in Sex Education

In an recent interview, Mackey told Vulture that after graduating from university she was rejected from drama school.

The rising star instead moved to London and stayed with a friend, attending weekly drama classes before landing her role on Sex Education.

With her classmate Otis, Mackey’s character Maeve sets up a sex clinic to help fellow pupils at Moordale Secondary School.