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Aussie actor Jacob Elordi’s surprise career move after dissing own hit movies

Aussie actor Jacob Elordi has made waves in Hollywood, so it was a surprise to many to see him back home in Australia.

Aussie actor Jacob Elordi seen filming on beach in Sydney. Picture: Media Mode
Aussie actor Jacob Elordi seen filming on beach in Sydney. Picture: Media Mode

Aussie actor Jacob Elordi is making waves in Hollywood with his starring roles in The Kissing Booth, Euphoria and the new Elvis biopic, Priscilla, where he plays the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.

But despite his new-found fame overseas, the Brisbane-born actor is returning home to Australia to film the new five-part drama series, The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

The 26-year-old was seen filming scenes on a beach in Sydney with co-star and fellow Aussie Odessa Young, with the pair getting into their characters in the period drama.

Jacob Elordi and Odessa Young plays lovers on <i>The Narrow Road to the Deep North</i>. Picture: Media Mode
Jacob Elordi and Odessa Young plays lovers on The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Picture: Media Mode
The duo were seen filming on beach in Sydney. Picture: Media Mode
The duo were seen filming on beach in Sydney. Picture: Media Mode

Elordi, 26, will play the lead in the Prime Video series based on Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name.

Told over multiple decades in time, the series revolves around the unforgettable love story between Lieutenant Dorrigo Evans and Amy Mulvaney, played by Young.

Elordi is fresh from playing Elvis Presley in the biopic Priscilla. Picture: Media Mode
Elordi is fresh from playing Elvis Presley in the biopic Priscilla. Picture: Media Mode
Getting into character in his retro swimmers. Picture: Media Mode
Getting into character in his retro swimmers. Picture: Media Mode
Odessa Young is also an Aussie actress. Picture: Media Mode
Odessa Young is also an Aussie actress. Picture: Media Mode

Set against the darkness of World War II, Elordi plays the younger Dorrigo in the ‘40s as he embarks on a brief love affair with Amy that shapes his life.

The series also stars Heather Mitchell, Simon Baker, Elvis actress Olivia DeJonge, and Game of Thrones and Belfast actor Ciarán Hinds.

Jacob Elordi says he only wants to star in projects he’s passionate about. Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Jacob Elordi says he only wants to star in projects he’s passionate about. Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

“The power of the storytelling, which began with Richard Flanagan’s seminal novel; the brilliance of the creative team, led by Shaun Grant and Justin Kurzel; and our breathtakingly accomplished cast will make this a landmark production for Australian television and a sweeping story to be embraced by audiences around the world,” said Jo Porter and Rachel Gardner from Curio Pictures, the production company behind the series.

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The Aussie actor plays Nate in the HBO drama Euphoria.
The Aussie actor plays Nate in the HBO drama Euphoria.

The Narrow Road to the Deep North promises to be a cinematic, visceral, and undeniable contemporary love story, which explores the power of mateship and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity,” added Amazon MGM Studios’ senior development executive Sarah Christie.

The news comes after Elordi appeared to diss his previous role in the The Kissing Booth trilogy, calling it “ridiculous”.

“I didn’t want to make those movies before I made those movies,” he told GQ last week. “Those movies are ridiculous. They’re not universal. They’re an escape.”

Jacob Elordi with The Kissing Booth co-stars Joey King and Joel Courtney. Picture: Rachel Murray/Getty Images
Jacob Elordi with The Kissing Booth co-stars Joey King and Joel Courtney. Picture: Rachel Murray/Getty Images
Jacob Elordi played Noah in The Kissing Booth trilogy from 2018 to 2021. Photography by Marcos Cruz
Jacob Elordi played Noah in The Kissing Booth trilogy from 2018 to 2021. Photography by Marcos Cruz

The actor explained that some actors star in sequels with the “one for them, one for me” mentality, which sees them sign up to a franchise for commercial reasons before breaking away and doing movies they’re actually passionate about. However, Elordi doesn’t feel the need to sign up for more films then required.

“Because it can become 15 for them, none for you,” he said. “You have no original ideas and you’re dead inside. So, it’s a fine dance. My ‘one for them,’ I’ve done it.”

In the same interview, he also revealed that he was invited to audition for a Superman film but he “immediately” turned it down.

“At this stage in my life, I don’t see myself having any interest in that,” he said of superhero films. “I like to make what I would watch.”

Originally published as Aussie actor Jacob Elordi’s surprise career move after dissing own hit movies

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/entertainment/television/aussie-actor-jacob-elordis-surprise-career-move-after-dissing-own-hit-movies/news-story/5bade95f24d7084b5e758830e9bb411b