Margot Robbie Shares Surprising On-Set Moment With Jacob Elordi

Margot Robbie has opened up about her experience working alongside Jacob Elordi in Emerald Fennell’s take on Wuthering Heights, sharing a particular moment on set that caught her off guard. The film, inspired by one of literature’s most iconic love stories, features plenty of steamy and thrilling scenes, but Robbie says the most memorable moment for her wasn’t what punters might expect.

Unexpected Chemistry on Set

Robbie described a scene where Elordi, playing Heathcliff, effortlessly lifted her character Cathy with just one arm. The move left her genuinely stunned, admitting it had a physical effect on her during filming.

It almost made me weak at the knees,

she confessed, reflecting on the intensity of the moment.

While the chemistry between the two leads is clear in the promos, both actors have faced criticism for not matching the original book’s descriptions. Robbie, who’s no stranger to public scrutiny, has finally addressed the chatter around their casting choices.

Addressing Casting Controversy

Fennell’s version of Cathy isn’t a direct copy of Emily Brontë’s character. Some fans have pointed out that Cathy is older and blonde in the film, which doesn’t line up with the novel. Elordi’s casting as Heathcliff has also sparked debate, as the character is described as a person of colour in the book.

Robbie acknowledged these concerns, saying,

there’s nothing else to go off at this point until people see the movie

. The director has clarified that Cathy is meant to be in her mid-20s to early 30s in this adaptation. As for Elordi, Robbie simply stated,

I saw him play Heathcliff. And he is Heathcliff.

She urged fans to hold off on judgement, drawing a comparison to the initial scepticism around Barbie before its release.

I’d say, just wait. Trust me, you’ll be happy… Everyone was like, ‘Well, [Barbie] did well because of course it was going to.’ And I’m like… ‘This was not the conversation at the time’. I try to remind myself of that with Wuthering too. You have to just not listen to the noise and trust that the thing you’re putting out is what people will be happy to have.

Epic Romance in a Changing Film Landscape

Robbie also spoke about the rarity of large-scale romantic dramas in today’s film industry, with big-budget productions now dominated by franchises and action flicks. She pointed out that genres like buddy comedies and rom-coms have also become less common over the past decade.

Reflecting on this shift, Robbie said it’s been years since a major romance has made waves in mainstream cinema. While some expect Wuthering Heights to be all about the raunch, she reckons it’s more about the sweeping romance.

Everyone’s expecting this to be very, very raunchy. I think people will be surprised. Not to say there aren’t s-0xual elements and that it’s not provocative – it definitely is provocative – but it’s more romantic than provocative. This is a big epic romance. It’s just been so long since we’ve had one – maybe The Notebook, also The English Patient. You have to go back decades.

With Warner Bros. backing more original projects lately, there’s hope that the success of Wuthering Heights could encourage other studios to take similar risks. The film is set to hit Australian cinemas on 13 February 2026.