After a streak of recent projects that include “Frankenstein,” “Wuthering Heights,” “Euphoria” Season 3, and Ridley Scott‘s upcoming “The Dog Stars,” Jacob Elordi is no longer a mere rising star in Hollywood — he’s a bona fide A-lister. But it’s one thing to be a star, and another entirely to be a mega-talented actor. This is Pedro Almodóvar‘s quandary with Elordi, who pledged his admiration for the Spanish auteur in an interview with the LA Times last year.
In a new interview on the “La Pija y la Quinqui” podcast (HuffPost), the Almodóvar was told about Elordi’s comments for the first time, and subsequently asked if he’d ever cast the actor in an upcoming project. The answer? Not one Elordi likely wants to hear. “Did he really say that?” responded Almodóvar. “I think Jacob Elordi is going to be a a big star — no doubt about that. But lately I’ve been wondering whether he’s just a sex symbol or a respected actor…I need to see him in something that asks more of him, at least.”
Now, in fairness to Elordi: Almodóvar’s comments do not denigrate the actor so much as the recent projects he’s starred in. But the director did stress that he’d like to see Elordi in a role that demands more range out of him before he makes a definitive assessment of his star power. “It’s just that “Wuthering Heights” is very bad,” continued Almodóvar. “And it’s not Jacob Elordi’s or Margot Robbie‘s fault — they do what they can. It’s not even kitsch. What’s happening with “Frankenstein” adaptations is that they’ve become these filthy creatures, made from pieces of other bodies — it’s always been a horror story. But now they’ve added a kind of sexualized imagery to it; they’ve made the monster attractive. He has to speak in that deep, low voice, and that’s much easier than using a more expressive range. So, in that sense, “Frankenstien” is very convenient for an actor.”
In that case, Almodóvar wants Elordi to challenge himself with more inconvenient parts. And that begs the question: has Jacob Elordi had a challenging role in his career thus far, something that allows him to explore the range Almodóvar wants to see? Nate Jacobs in “Euphoria” comes to mind, given that character’s penchant for calculated violence and emotional abuse, but on the film side, little comes to mind. It’s not that Elordi’s roles in movies like “Priscilla” or “Saltburn” are lacking, more that those projects are also reliant on their respective director’s heavily stylized mise-en-scene. And then there’s something like “Oh, Canada,” Paul Schrader‘s 2024 film, or “On Swift Horses,” also from that year. Elordi showcases a smoldering presence in both pictures, but the unevenness elsewhere on the screen dilutes each performance.
In that case, Almodóvar may be right: it’s hard to assess Elordi’s talents as a leading man right now because he hasn’t truly been tested yet. So, take the director’s comments less as a dismissal of Elordi and more as words of encouragement. Does Elordi want to star in a Pedro Almodóvar film? Great: show the auteur and the audience a demanding, career-defining performance that knocks our collective socks off, and you get the part.
Elordi’s next chance to impress Almodóvar, and us? “The Dog Stars,” in theaters on August 28. But Lazlo Nemes‘ upcoming Cormac McCarthy adaptation “Outer Dark” may be the better chance for an Elordi performance that really wows everyone.
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