Actor Jacob Elordi says a freak shower mishap during production of Wuthering Heights sent him to the hospital with second-degree burns—an injury that arrived just after he joked about “earning” the character’s scars the hard way. Variety first reported the account, drawn from a published conversation tied to the film’s press cycle.
Elordi recounted that the film’s makeup artist, Siân Miller, had been mapping whip scars for his back when she teased that a famously committed performer like Daniel Day-Lewis would show up already marked. Elordi said he played along, then later—while sitting in a steam shower and scrubbing his feet after a day covered in grime—leaned back against a hot brass steam control. He said the contact “seared” his skin, leaving him in pain and reporting to work days later with a second-degree burn. Director Emerald Fennell said she first heard about it via a producer’s message that began, “Jacob’s in hospital,” before the explanation caught up.
Medical guidance describes second-degree burns as injuries that damage the outer skin layer and the layer beneath, often producing intense pain and blistering; treatment can involve dressings and careful wound management to limit infection and scarring.
The incident has circulated as the film heads into release, with Margot Robbie starring opposite Elordi and serving as a producer. The official site lists a Feb. 13, 2026, domestic theatrical release, with international openings beginning Feb. 11.
At the same time, the project has faced a separate debate: some readers object to casting Elordi as Heathcliff, a figure described in Wuthering Heights with a background that many interpret as nonwhite. Robbie has defended the choice in prior interviews, urging audiences to wait to see the performance before judging.
