Jacob Elordi breaks silence on doubts over Wuthering Heights casting

Jacob Elordi has admitted that even he had doubts about playing Heathcliff in the upcoming film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, revealing he questioned whether he was right for the iconic role.

The actor is set to star as Heathcliff in director Emerald Fennell’s new take on the Emily Brontë classic, opposite Margot Robbie as Cathy. Speaking in a recent interview, Elordi said the offer initially left him feeling uncertain and overwhelmed.

He explained that the role marked the first time in his career he genuinely questioned whether he was good enough, adding that he did not want to let Fennell down after previously working with her on Saltburn.

Elordi said the early weeks of filming were particularly difficult, describing a period of intense self-doubt as he tried to live up to the expectations surrounding the character. He noted that the pressure eventually eased once he stopped fixating on the weight of the role and began to better understand the film itself.

While acknowledging the scale of the production compared with Saltburn, Elordi stressed that the experience was not negative. He said the larger crew and heightened expectations created a sense of trepidation at first, but that feeling faded once filming settled into a rhythm.

The casting of Elordi as Heathcliff sparked debate when it was first announced, with some critics accusing the film of whitewashing a character who is often interpreted as a person of colour in the original novel and who faces racism from his adopted family.

heathcliff is described as a dark-skinned brown man in the book and a major plot point is that he was subjected to racist abuse by his adopted family. but yeah sure jacob elordi is perfect! https://t.co/VqRvlOCvMP

— ⊹˚. ren (@andorlorians) September 23, 2024

Robbie previously responded to the criticism, urging audiences to wait before judging the film. She has publicly backed Elordi’s performance, describing him as an exceptional talent and expressing confidence that viewers would be satisfied with the final result.

Fennell has also defended her casting decision in earlier interviews, saying her choice was rooted in her interpretation of the character and the story she wanted to tell in the new adaptation.

The film is one of the most closely watched literary adaptations currently in development, with attention focused not only on its cast but also on how it reimagines one of English literature’s most controversial characters.