Jacob Elordi says embodying Dorrigo Evans in the five-part miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North forced him “through a layer of hell,” yet deepened his commitment to acting’s “circus,” a passion he insists keeps growing with each role. The Australian actor shed weight to portray the starving POW, joining dozens of extras on a six-week regimen that director Justin Kurzel believes gave the rail-camp scenes “a brutal truth.”
Produced by Sony and Amazon, the adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s Booker-winning novel premiered in April and will move to the BBC and other outlets later this year. Industry notes from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts describe the series as charting Evans’s path from clandestine romance to reluctant national hero. Critics have responded warmly; Rotten Tomatoes lists 100 percent approval, praising Elordi’s performance as “sterling,” and Guardian reviewer Luke Buckmaster highlighted the chemistry between Elordi and Odessa Young.
Even as awards chatter builds, Elordi’s schedule is accelerating. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein unveiled its first teaser this week, with Oscar Isaac as Victor and Elordi rising from the slab as the creature, sparking a social-media frenzy. Spanish outlet MeriStation noted the trailer’s gothic mood and November Netflix release window. Elordi recently told Collider he felt “spoiled for life” by del Toro’s collaborative approach.
February 2026 will see him swap monster makeup for windswept romance as Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights. Casting director Kharmel Cochrane has already defended the choice, saying detractors should “wait until you see the set design” before judging fidelity to Brontë. Principal photography began in Yorkshire in January, with Warner Bros. positioning the film for Valentine’s-week release.
Reflecting on the rapid pivot from wasted prisoner to Byronic lover to stitched-together monster, Elordi said the physical extremes help him avoid complacency. “Every part scares me more than the last,” he admitted during the Berlin press tour for Narrow Road, pointing to the faded scars his character carries. Prime Video data place the war drama among its three most-watched titles in Australia since launch, and Amazon has begun plastering billboards worldwide ahead of the U.S. debut next month.
