Emerald Fennell is one of the most polarizing filmmakers working today. Her first two films, Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, split audiences due to their emphasis on style over substance and very, very bold endings. Jacob Elordi was praised for his performance in the latter, however, scoring his first Golden Globe nomination.
It makes sense that Fennell and Elordi would reunite, but the film they've chosen to reunite on has fans more than a little peeved. Deadline recently confirmed that the director and actor will adapt the classic Gothic romance Wuthering Heights.
Elordi's character is described as a 'dark-skinned gypsy'
It has been several times over the years, with the most notable version coming in 1939, but Elordi's casting has raised some red flags for fans of the source material. The Australian actor has been cast as Heathcliff, the male lead of the story. The problem is, Heathcliff is described as having dark eyes, dark hair and dark skin.
Wuthering Heights novelist Emily Bronte literally describes the character as a "dark-skinned gypsy." Jacob Elordi has an impressive range as an actor, but dark-skinned he is not, and the internet has been uniformly disappointed with Fennell's decision.
Historically, Hollywood has done a poor job of honoring the novel's description of Heathcliff. Those who have portrayed the lovelorn character over the years include Anglo actors like Laurence Olivier, Timothy Dalton, Ralph Fiennes, and Richard Burton.
Elordi will join Anglo Heathcliffs like Olivier & Burton
In this sense, Elordi makes perfect sense. He's a rising star and, as was previously mentioned, he's found success working with Emerald Fennell in the past. In 2024, however, with more emphasis than ever placed on diverse casting, the decision does appear to be a missed opportunity.
Fans will no doubt flock to Fennell's Wuthering Heights remake, either out of genuine interest or morbid curiosity. Before his already controversial turn as Heathcliff, Elordi will appear in the Paul Schrader film, Oh, Canada! and the Guillermo del Toro remake of Frankenstein.