Jacob Elordi reveals first reaction to challenging 'Frankenstein' role
Actor Jacob Elordi shared his initial hesitation before agreeing to portray The Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein.
Although the Saltburn and Euphoria star was thrilled to join del Toro’s project, he admitted feeling uncertain about the character before reading the screenplay.
"The only thought that I can remember having before I'd even gotten the script was that, and I shouldn't have doubted it, knowing Guillermo, but was that the Creature may be nonverbal and may be so sort of conceptual and hidden under this thing."
Elordi explained that he feared the role might lack dialogue, making it difficult to express the Creature’s inner turmoil.
"Obviously, there's always a performance in those creatures, but just that I wouldn't be able to maybe articulate the sort of existential crisis that the Creature's having."
His doubts eased once he began reading del Toro’s screenplay.
"As soon as I read the script and he said, 'Now, I'll tell you my tale,' and I realised there was still this much script to go."
Elordi praised how the new adaptation honors Mary Shelley’s original vision.
"I was like, oh, wow, this is the Creature as it is in Mary Shelley's text."
Author’s Summary
Jacob Elordi’s early doubts about playing Frankenstein’s Creature vanished after discovering Guillermo del Toro’s script gave the role emotional depth and fidelity to Mary Shelley’s classic.