The latest adaptation of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, features a unique set design influenced directly by Robbie’s skin. Director Emerald Fennell revealed that the wallpaper in Cathy’s bedroom was made from silk prints of Robbie’s veins and freckles, integrating the actress’s physical traits into the film’s visual aesthetic.
This inventive approach stemmed from Fennell’s desire to create an intimate representation of the character’s experience. During a screening at BFI Southbank in London, the director shared how the wallpaper was designed to evoke a deeper emotional and symbolic effect.
“We asked her to send us all her veins and her freckles, and then we printed it on silk and stuffed it and put latex over it so that it could sweat,”
Fennell explained.
At first glance, you don’t see any of it, it’s just a beautiful pink room. It’s like a visual example of what it feels like to be made a wife, to be made an object of beauty, to be a collector’s item.
Emerald Fennell, Director
Unique Techniques to Help Actors Connect with Their Roles
To further immerse the cast in their characters, Fennell implemented an unconventional method by creating personal shrines in the actors’ hotel rooms. These shrines featured iconic photographs sourced from the internet and were dedicated to the co-stars, fostering a sense of intimacy and admiration between them.
I was like: ‘I’m going to go through the internet, I’m going to find their best photos and then I’m going to make shrines in their bedrooms for each other’.
Emerald Fennell, Director
So when Jacob went into his room, he had an insane shrine to worship not just Cathy, but Margot Robbie and then she had the same thing. There’s nothing more humanising than somebody’s first press photo.
Emerald Fennell, Director
Margot Robbie’s Initiative to Play Cathy
Emerald Fennell also disclosed that Margot Robbie personally requested to take on the role of Cathy after receiving the script through her production company, LuckyChap Entertainment. The director was initially hesitant to propose the idea herself, given their prior relationship, but Robbie’s courage eased that.
I sent it to them to produce, and Margot luckily asked if she might play Cathy. I was very nervous to ask her, because I think we have a different relationship, and I didn’t want to put her on the spot.
Emerald Fennell, Director
I was like: ‘Do I go for it?’ No, I didn’t. Of course I didn’t, because she’s braver than me. She asked me.
Emerald Fennell, Director
A Modern Reinterpretation of Bronte’s Classic
Fennell cautioned viewers not to expect a faithful retelling of the original 1847 novel. Instead, she aimed to capture the emotional essence Bronte’s work inspired, presenting a modernized and personal interpretation rather than a strict adaptation.
I can’t adapt the book as it is but I can approximate the way it made me feel.
Emerald Fennell, Director
This contemporary version, enriched by Margot Robbie skin inspiration, offers a fresh lens on the classic tale, emphasizing mood and atmosphere over literal storytelling. Its innovative design choices and intimate performances may influence future adaptations of literary works, encouraging more personalized cinematic experiences.
