Why Jacob Elordi could be the next Heath Ledger
He’s gone from St Kevin’s boy to starring in one of Netflix’s most successful movies to date with teen rom-com The Kissing Booth. But it’s his role in dark drama Euphoria that has set Jacob Elordi on the same path as Heath Ledger.
Entertainment
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Peak 2019 is having an ‘intimacy co-ordinator’ on the set of hit US drama Euphoria.
In this post #metoo world, the co-ordinator is becoming a regular on productions with more ‘intimate’ scenes.
“They come to your trailer before a sex scene or a kissing scene or a touching scene,” actor Jacob Elordi explains of the staff member’s role.
“You sign your paperwork about what you’re comfortable doing, then they talk to your scene partner. It definitely makes you feel more comfortable working on those scenes because it’s all very professional and creates a nice safe space.”
Brisbane born Elordi, 22, has seen Euphoria not only become one of the year’s most praised TV shows, but also one of the most controversial — with extreme scenes involving drug use, nudity (including full frontal male exposure) and teen sex.
As a look into modern schools (even though it’s a drama, with rapper Drake as an executive producer) many parents have called it both horrifying and educational.
“The same time that it’s a cautionary tale for parents, it’s also entertaining television,” Elordi says.
“It doesn’t feel like it’s taking any of your time being cheap, it’s engaging TV and I think that’s why there’s also an older audience watching it.”
Elordi has also seen the show change in the trajectory of his career overnight.
His big Hollywood break came in 2018 teen rom-com The Kissing Booth, hailed by Netflix as one of their most successful films to date.
However his role as high school athlete Nate Jacobs in the dark Euphoria saw him explore toxic masculinity, sexuality, transgender issues and extreme violence.
Euphoria — which has also changed the career of Zendaya (who came to the show from a Disney career and The Greatest Showman) — also features Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane as Elordi’s on-screen father, who has an interesting relationship with his son.
“We usually see the jock as a trope, we usually see them rise up and take advantage of people and then get trumped by the underdog in the end and the audience laughs. (Creator) Sam (Levinson) found this intense way to show the human behind that person. That person is out there, they are in schools, they do behave that way, most of the time we push them to the side because they are so awful. But there is a reason behind it, and we’re lucky to have eight episodes to really explore that.
“I knew we were going into something that wasn’t just going to be me talking like a dickhead, ripping my shirt off and beating up geeks. I knew we were going somewhere else. I didn’t know we’d be going to the extent we did psychologically, as an actor I had so many layers to play, so much work I could do at home.
“It was so joyful to do what I’ve always wanted to do with this one character over eight months. I haven’t had any super macho toxic jocks come up and shake my hand, but when you’re the ‘villain’ you do find that people will just hate you.
“However I’ve had a lot of people, and even parents, say they empathise greatly and that’s been the most rewarding pat on the back I could ever get.”
Playing Nate has seen Elordi suddenly being sent very different scripts to the ones that followed the light and bright The Kissing Booth.
“The way it is now is how I’ve always felt inside, from even before I came here (LA), about the work I always wanted to to. I care very deeply about the work that I put out into the world, and I care a lot about what I’m doing and how I spend my time and the craft of filmmaking and what cinema is. So now I’m seeing scripts that reflect that, I’m having conversations that reflect that. I’ve been here for three years, but right now it feels like the first time I’m really here.
“I find a bit of joy in saying ‘No’. There’s always a pang of ‘Oh f---, I’m never going to work again’. But I have realised making movies takes a long time and it’s a long time to spend doing something you don’t want to do if you don’t really feel the script in your heart and soul, that makes it a lot easier.”
Elordi admits he “blurred the lines” between fantasy and reality while filming the more intense scenes in Euphoria.
“I am just now coming out of it, I smile a lot more often now. While we were shooting it was non-stop, I found a rhythm and flow that towed the line between the two. It was a very heavy way to live, it took a toll but I think it was worthwhile.”
After Euphoria wrapped filming, he went to Africa for The Kissing Booth 2.
“That was jarring for my senses, but it was nice to switch off for a little while.”
While he was born in Brisbane, Elordi spent time in Melbourne — going to St Kevin’s in Toorak as part of his high school education. The school has some famous clientele already, including Chet Faker.
“I was a couple of years behind Vance Joy. I loved it there. I love Melbourne, growing up there was so interesting.”
His first Hollywood role was Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which was filmed in Queensland in 2015, and in 2017 starred alongside Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue in Swinging Safari, also filmed in Queensland.
Elordi’s hero is Heath Ledger — his work in Euphoria recalling the way Ledger very quickly swapped teen roles for something darker.
“This is definitely the kind of work I want to do for the rest of my life. I’ve turned a lot of movies down now, not arrogantly, but I only want to do work that’s going to be elevated from Euphoria or work that is important to me or that I think is important to the world.
“I don’t have much of a desire to create blatant consumerist entertainment that’s taking advantage of people.
“I’ve always really admired actors and acting and cinema and great television and theatre and the arts. I really want to be able to stick to that. When you first get here you don’t have much of a choice, you have to do what you have to do, it’s all very exciting. But definitely have a fine tooth comb on it all now, I’m definitely going to do everything I can to keep the work at this sort of level.”
As well as two more Hollywood films (The Mortuary Collection and 2 Hearts) he’ll be seen in the new Paul Hogan film The Very Excellent Mr Dundee, before filming another series of Euphoria next year.
“I would come back for the next five years straight and make Australian films, I love Australian cinema and I want good films to keep continuing to be made in Australia.”
This year Elordi also made his debut as a Calvin Klein model, but he suggests it may be a one-off.
“I did the campaign for my mum, I thought she’d get a nice surprise from seeing it. I was a little terrified, I’m not super into the idea of trying to sell things to people with my image but this one was for my mum and she got a kick out of it.
“The campaign ended up being really classy. But there is a pinch me moment driving around in my 2004 beaten up Mitsubishi when you see yourself on the side of a wall in the middle of Hollywood, that’s hilarious.”
Euphoria (Foxtel) is streaming now.