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CinemaPeople

by Alexandra Mansilla

Behind the Scenes With Jacob Elordi: Sharks, Bacon, And Theatre Passion

26 Jun 2024

Over the past few years, Jacob Elordi has transformed from the handsome Nate on "Euphoria" into a major actor, playing Elvis in Sofia Coppola's "Priscilla", landing a leading role in "Saltburn", and scoring a part in Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein". Additionally, in May, he became an ambassador for Bottega Veneta.
Today, June 26th, Jacob turns 27, and we have dug up some fascinating facts about him — some of which you might not know.

Jacob appeared as an extra in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales." Or did he…?

According to Wikipedia, one of Jacob’s first roles was as an extra in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. However, don’t rush to spot him in the background; those scenes never made it into the final cut, and he isn’t even credited.

Living in the car

Jacob’s journey to stardom wasn’t all glitz and glamour. He once lived in his car in LA while trying to make it as an actor. Reflecting on how far he has come, he often feels like he’s “pinching himself” to believe it is real. He shared, “It means the world to me that they let me make movies! My God, I can’t believe it. I still can't believe it. Every night I go to bed and I’m like, ‘No way.’ I'm sort of pinching myself at the moment.”​
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Jacob Elordi in "Saltburn". Source: IMDb

Early audition blunders

Believe it or not, Jacob almost missed out on his iconic role in Euphoria. During his first audition, he totally messed up his lines and felt pretty shaky about the whole thing. He confessed, “I went in and I fudged my lines. I was like, ‘Does anybody know Jules, know who she is? Does anyone know Jules?’ Completely blew it.” But luck was on his side, and director Sam Levinson saw something special in him, calling him back several times until he finally nailed it​.
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Jacob Elordi in "Euphoria". Source: IMDb

Stunt work in "Euphoria"

Playing Nate on Euphoria isn’t just about acting tough; it involves some real physical challenges. Jacob has done many of his own stunts, leading to a few injuries along the way. He said, "They definitely do hurt... I ended up getting a cut on the side of my head. So it was bleeding, we had to get the medic, but it was fun."​

Character prep for Nate in "Euphoria"

Jacob takes his roles seriously, and for Nate Jacobs in Euphoria, he watched shark documentaries to get into character. He felt Nate was like a shark, always observing before striking. He explained, “Nate is always watching. He’ll bump into someone in the hallway, like a shark when they test someone’s leg — and then he comes up from the deep and just fucking annihilates them.”

Preparation for "Priscilla"

To get into character for his role as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Jacob took his preparation to a whole new level. He adopted Elvis’s diet, eating "a pound of bacon a day" to match the King’s love for burnt bacon. Jacob joked, "I averaged like a pound of bacon a day. It is not that noticeable because I'm quite long. But I was the biggest I've ever been."
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Jacob Elordi in "Priscilla". Source: IMDb

Theatre aspirations

Despite his success in movies and TV, Jacob’s heart still longs for the stage. He started his acting career in theatre and dreams of returning to it someday. He said, “My goal always has been to be in the theatre, so I think that’s something that my effort and time is spent on.”

"Frankenstein" is coming

Jacob Elordi has landed an exciting opportunity to work with Guillermo del Toro. He has been cast as Frankenstein's monster in the director's upcoming film. Initially, this role was offered to Andrew Garfield, but he had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts. While details about the film are still under wraps, there are rumours that Oscar Isaac will be playing Victor Frankenstein. Filming has already commenced.
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