Sad story behind Margot’s Oscars campaign
IN A sad twist to Margot Robbie's glittering Oscars campaign, the Queensland movie star has been privately grieving the death of her grandfather.
Herbert Kessler, 96, who was known to his grandchildren as "Grandie", died peacefully at home in Ashmore on the Gold Coast on February 1, nine days before Monday's Academy Awards, where Robbie was nominated for Best Supporting actor.
At the time, Robbie was in London for a global promotional tour of her new film, Birds of Prey, and two days later attended the BAFTAs - where she was also nominated for best supporting actor - with her younger brother, Cameron Robbie.
She then jetted to New York City to continue the packed press tour - which included five different appearances, such as an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, in one day on February 5.
The Bombshell and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood star attended the Academy Awards this week with her cousin and close friend Julia Chalmers, who is also Kessler's granddaughter.
Robbie, 29, was raised by her mother, Sarie Kessler, in Dalby and on the Gold Coast, after her father left the family when she and her siblings were young. She was reportedly close with her grandparents, Herbert and Verna Kessler.
Robbie returned to Dalby in May last year to attend the funeral of Verna, known as 'Narnie', who died peacefully in April aged 92.
During the trip, she visited Herbert at his retirement home on the Gold Coast alongside her brother, Lachlan.
Herbert, formerly a dentist in Dalby and a member of the local church, had six grandchildren and one great grandchild.
According to a local obituary, his funeral will be held in Dalby on Friday.
