Shrines and obsessions: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s intense connection on Wuthering Heights set

With the 2026 Winter Games now concluding, it is a hot time at the movies with the promotional tour now underway on Emerald Fennell’s daring new take on the classic Wuthering Heights adventure. Margot Robbie and co-star Jacob Elordi have caused a media splash relating to the ‘unhinged’ approach taken to generate the passionate chemistry required between literature’s most infamous star-crossed lovers, Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff.

Emerald Fennell set up shrines of Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in each other’s Wuthering Heights trailers

In interviews given recently, Margot revealed that Emerald had come up with individual personal shrines for each of these actors’ dressing rooms. They were by no means subtle, these tributes, she said. Candlelight, photographs, hair — and all to help us tap into that dark and all-consuming passion that drives the plot of Emily Brontë’s 1847 gothic novel. Margot called it hilarious and fantastic and said that it was a bit like setting a high bar for intensity that we would have to match on screen.

The immersion seemed to have worked too well for the actors. Margot, now 35, confessed that she and Jacob were "codependent" pretty much right away while filming. She said she felt "unmoored" if she couldn't see Jacob around her on set, likening it to a child losing their security blanket. Jacob echoed this sentiment, describing their bond as a "mutual obsession" and admitting he was entirely enamoured by his co-star.

However, the production has not been without its share of conversations. The casting of Jacob has continued to spark a lot of backlash due to the original novel’s description of Heathcliff’s race, which is referred to as being "dark-skinned," or "a Lascar." While previous productions, such as those featuring Ralph Fiennes and Tom Hardy, featured Caucasian leading men, Andrea Arnold’s production of the novel in 2011 was reportedly notable for breaking tradition by featuring James Howson. It is important to notice that, according to portrayal in most of the prominent Western productions, around 95 percent of all Heathcliff’s roles were played by Caucasians, but Heathcliff’s ethnic background is something of a central theme of the novel.

Regardless of this debate, the movie is still one of the most anticipated releases of February 2026. With a soundtrack by Charli XCX and Emerald’s provocative style, fans are promised a visual treat that embodies all things gothic and delves into the destructive side of love.

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