This month, Jacob Elordi is making waves on the screen with his compelling performances in the gripping dramas Priscilla and Saltburn.
However, alongside his current success, Elordi is candidly addressing his past, particularly his role in the widely popular Kissing Booth films on Netflix.
In the December issue of GQ, where the 26-year-old Australian actor graces the cover as part of the Men of the Year feature, Elordi doesn’t mince words about his experience with the Kissing Booth franchise.
He describes the movies as “ridiculous” and admits that they made him feel “dead inside.” Elordi confesses that he never intended to be a part of those films, characterizing them as an escape rather than a universally resonant project.
“I didn’t want to make those movies before I made those movies,” he says. “Those movies are ridiculous. They’re not universal. They’re an escape.”
Discussing the industry mantra of “one for them, one for me,” Elordi acknowledges the delicate balance required to navigate between artful projects and blockbuster hits. He cautions against falling into the trap of prioritizing commercial success over creative fulfillment, emphasizing the importance of maintaining originality to avoid becoming creatively stagnant.
Elordi defends his commitment to high standards in his work, expressing surprise at those who view caring about one’s output as pretentious. He questions the coolness associated with knowingly delivering subpar content, recognizing the value of people’s time and the responsibility that comes with creating entertainment.
“How is caring about your output pretentious?” Elordi asks. “But not caring, and knowingly feeding people s**t, knowing that you’re making money off of people’s time, which is literally the most valuable thing that they have. How is that the cool thing?”
Reflecting on his personal life, Elordi shares insights into his past relationships, including his time dating Kissing Booth co-star Joey King. He acknowledges the unique experience of building a close connection while working together on set but doesn’t dwell on the relationship’s details.
Elordi dated his Kissing Booth co-star from 2017 to 2018.
In his latest film, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Elordi takes on the challenging role of Elvis Presley, following Austin Butler’s Oscar-nominated portrayal in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Elordi expresses a desire to avoid repeating the same story, praising Butler’s performance and emphasizing his approach to portraying the iconic figure in a unique and complex way.
“I don’t want to tell the same story over, especially because he did such a fine job of portraying this man,” Elordi tells GQ.
To play the King, the fit actor had to gain a lot of weight.
“It was the first time in my life that I ever had a gut,” he shares.
“Bacon. It was about a pound of bacon every day. And then when I’d go to Canada [where Priscilla was largely filmed] it was poutine and hamburgers … It’s really my pleasure,” he says. “I could order Uber Eats and be like, ‘Should I get that burger after I’ve just had Italian? Yeah. Yeah, I will.'”
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