Jacob Elordi’s Wuthering Heights Role Sent Him to the Hospital

Jacob Elordi recently shared a humorous story about how he accidentally committed to a “Method” approach while preparing to play Heathcliff in the upcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights.

During a conversation with Esquire, the actor recalled a playful jab from his makeup artist, Siân Miller, who was busy designing the prosthetic whip scars for his character’s back. She jokingly told him that if a legendary actor like Daniel Day-Lewis were in his shoes, he would have arrived on set with real scars already in place.

Elordi couldn’t resist firing back with a quip of his own, telling her he would go home and maim himself over the weekend just to prove his dedication to the role. Ironically, his joke turned into a painful reality that very night.

Elordi explained that while he was filming Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein last year, he had grown tired of the constant scrubbing required to remove heavy makeup, so he made a personal vow to stay extra clean while working on Wuthering Heights.

While trying to thoroughly scrub his feet in a steam shower at his rental home, he accidentally leaned back into a protruding brass steam knob. The searing heat resulted in a second-degree burn across his back, leaving him in genuine agony.

When he showed up for work on Monday morning, the joke about Daniel Day-Lewis felt a lot less funny. Director Emerald Fennell remembered the panic of receiving a text that Jacob was in the hospital during the first week of production, only to later joke with him about whether the injury was truly in the spirit of Daniel Day-Lewis.

Day-Lewis himself has become the face of this intense acting style, though he recently expressed some frustration with how the public views it. While promoting his film Anemone, the retired three-time Oscar winner argued that most critics have little or no understanding of what the Method actually involves.

He described it not as some “specious science” or a “cult,” but as a way to free yourself so that spontaneity can take over when the cameras are rolling. For Day-Lewis, the goal isn’t to be sealed off from the world, but to create a self-contained experience that allows an actor to respond authentically to any moment.

As of February, Jacob Elordi is currently one of the busiest stars in Hollywood, having just come off a massive award season win. In January, he took home the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor for his transformative performance as the Creature in Frankenstein, and he is currently a top contender for an Academy Award in the same category.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the theatrical release of Wuthering Heights on February 13, where he stars alongside Margot Robbie in what director Emerald Fennell promises will be a dark and “electric” reboot of the classic tale.

Aside from his gothic romance, Elordi is also set to star in Ridley Scott’s science-fiction epic The Dog Stars, which is scheduled to hit theaters later this year. This project features a star-studded cast including Margaret Qualley and Benedict Wong.

Do you think Jacob Elordi’s accidental “Method” injury actually helped him tap into the brooding pain of Heathcliff, or should actors leave the physical suffering to the makeup department? Share your thoughts in the comments!