During the filming of Wuthering Heights, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi shared an unusual but memorable experience that spotlighted their dedication to their craft. In a January 30 interview with Today, Robbie revealed that director Emerald Fennell created personalized shrines for each actor inside their dressing rooms, an unusual gesture designed to enhance their connection to each other and their characters.
Emerald Fennell’s Method to Inspire Connection on Set
Margot Robbie shared the details behind the unique shrines during her interview with Today.
“At the studio, we both had a dressing room. Emerald went into our dressing rooms and made a shrine of each other in our dressing rooms,”
Robbie recalled.
“It was so unhinged and so hilarious. And she put, like, locks of hair and pictures of us, candles and made a full shrine. Mine was a Jacob shrine. He had a Margot shrine. It was so funny.”
This creative tactic was aimed at setting a high emotional standard for their performances as Catherine and Heathcliff.
Robbie explained how the shrines influenced their work:
“And then we just kept trying to meet the bar.”
The effort was part of Fennell’s direction to deepen the actors’ focus and immerse them in their intense roles, fostering a tight bond between the two stars beyond just acting.
Bonding Through Shared Dedication and Mutual Admiration
The connection between Robbie and Elordi extended beyond the set, growing into a close working relationship. During the Wuthering Heights press tour, the pair expressed admiration for each other repeatedly. On January 14, Robbie told Fandango she felt “co-dependent” on Jacob Elordi.
“I love everyone so much and I’m always that person who’s so devastated when a job’s over and I never want it to end … I think I developed that quite quickly with Jacob, too,”
she said.
Elordi added to this sentiment, describing their dynamic: “We have a mutual obsession,” he said.
“If you have the opportunity to share a film set with Margot Robbie, you’re going to make sure you’re within 5 to 10 meters at all times, watching how she drinks tea, how she eats her food. She’s an elite actor.”
This level of attention to detail and admiration underscores the intensity of their collaboration.
On-Screen Chemistry Impresses Friends and Viewers Alike
Robbie also spoke about the powerful chemistry that translated on screen, noting how her friends reacted when they watched the film.
“When Jacob came on screen, I think it registered on the Richter scale; they screamed so loud,”
she recalled on January 26 during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“Honestly, I was like, if he walked in right now, I think they would eat him. So it was safer that he wasn’t there.”
The enthusiasm from viewers and close supporters reveals the effectiveness of their performance, likely a reflection of the dedication encouraged by Fennell’s unique direction and the personal connection built through the Jacob Elordi shrine in Robbie’s dressing room.
The Lasting Impact of Unexpected Creative Choices on Film Sets
Emerald Fennell’s inventive decision to create personalized shrines for Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi was more than a quirky gesture; it became a pivotal element in building their relationship and enhancing their portrayals of Catherine and Heathcliff. This approach demonstrates how unconventional methods on set can foster deeper connections between actors and ultimately translate to powerful on-screen performances.
As Wuthering Heights continues to captivate audiences, the story behind the shrines offers a fascinating glimpse into the artistic process and the lengths to which performers and directors go to bring authentic emotion to the screen.
