Jacob Elordi Stuns at ‘Wuthering Heights’ Premiere with Gross Gum Incident Involving His Mom

Jacob Elordi turned heads at the Los Angeles premiere of Wuthering Heights at the TCL Chinese Theatre, but not for his acting. The 28-year-old actor made headlines for a strange moment with his mother, Melissa Elordi, that quickly went viral online. While walking the red carpet, Elordi was chewing gum. When he reached his mom, instead of a hug, he spat out the gum and handed it to her directly.

The clip immediately sparked debate on social media. Some fans thought it was funny or cute. He has such a sweet relationship with his mom, wrote one user on X. Others were grossed out, joking, I can’t with him. Critics also noted that his Hollywood star power might make the moment seem charming, when it might feel odd from someone else.

Jacob Elordi spits his gum into his mom’s hand to throw away on the red carpet 😷
byu/shhhhh_h inpopculturechat

The incident reminded some observers of a similar red-carpet moment at the 2025 Oscars involving Adrien Brody and Georgina Chapman. It seems giving gum to your mom could be the latest bizarre celebrity trend.

Still, this small moment is far from the biggest news in Elordi’s career. He is in the middle of a major awards season push for his role in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, where he plays the Creature alongside Oscar Isaac. His performance has been widely praised, earning him a Critics’ Choice Award and a BAFTA nomination. Elordi reportedly spent hours in makeup to fully transform into the character, taking over the role after Andrew Garfield left the project.

Now, Elordi is stepping into another iconic literary role. In Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, he stars as Heathcliff opposite Margot Robbie’s Catherine Earnshaw. The film has already generated buzz for its chemistry between the leads and its modern take on the classic story. The soundtrack features original music by Charli XCX. Early reactions from the premiere have highlighted the sexual tension and epic chemistry on screen.

Elordi’s 2026 schedule is packed. He will appear in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi adventure The Dog Stars with Margaret Qualley and Josh Brolin, which is set to release in August. He also finished work on the miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North, earning a Golden Globe nomination for his role as an army surgeon. Fans are still waiting for the third season of Euphoria, but Elordi’s film career shows he is now more than a teen idol, he is a serious dramatic actor.

Wuthering Heights will hit theaters on February 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day. This marks Elordi’s second collaboration with Fennell after their work on Saltburn, and the movie features a supporting cast including Hong Chau and Ewan Mitchell. With an $80 million budget, it is one of the most anticipated films this winter.

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