WATCH: Margot Robbie Tries to Keep It Together in New Clip from 'I, Tonya'

von Clayton Davis · 01.12.2017

On the eve of its theatrical release, NEON unveiled a new clip from its festival darling, "I, Tonya."

Margot Robbie stars as Tonya Harding in this biopic about the life of the notorious Olympic figure skater. Earlier this week, Robbie received nominations for both an Independent Spirit Award and a Gotham Award for Lead Actress.

The film follows Harding from childhood (played by McKenna Grace), growing up with her verbally and sometimes physically abusive mother LaVona Golden (Allison Janney). Highlights of her story include her tumultuous relationship with Jeff Gillooley (Sebastian Stan), and, of course, The Incident that still haunts Harding to this day.

"I, Tonya" was written by Steven Rogers and directed by Craig Gillespie. Rogers previously wrote the screenplays for "Stepmom" and "P.S., I Love You." Gillespie is best known for directing "Lars and the Real Girl," which scored an Academy Award nomination for writing.

The film was a surprise hit when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The response triggered a bidding war as several distributors wanted to purchase the rights. Eventually, they signed a dead with fledgling company Neon. The newcomer to the distribution game also released "Ingrid Goes West" earlier this year.

In the clip, included below, Robbie conveys the heartbreaking reality of Tonya Harding's plight as she attempts to stave off a breakdown while preparing for her big moment. The clip showcases Robbie's ability to convey so much emotion without any dialogue. It is one of the many things that makes her portrayal of Harding endearing and real.

You can read the official Awards Circuit review here.

"I, Tonya" is in limited release on December 8.