Jacob Elordi Talks About His Intense Role in ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’ and Upcoming Projects
Jacob Elordi is on a roll. The rising star is gaining attention for his powerful roles, and his latest project is no exception. He’s back on screen in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, a limited series directed by Justin Kurzel. The show made its debut at the Berlin Film Festival and is now available for streaming on Prime Video.
Stream The Narrow Road to the Deep North on Prime Video
“It was honestly very hard.”
To prepare for the role, Elordi went through a grueling six-week boot camp. He lost a lot of weight under medical supervision. “It was honestly very hard,” he shared. “We trained with Wade Farmer at 98 Gym and worked closely with a nutritionist. The whole team stuck together, supported each other, and pushed through what felt like a layer of hell.”
The bond between the cast was strong, and it shows on screen. The series beautifully captures friendship and brotherhood in tough conditions. “Dorrigo’s mission in the camps is to keep as many of his men alive as possible,” Elordi said. “That’s what gives him strength. That love for your brothers is what keeps you going.”
He added that imagining these men as teenagers, some just 15 or 16 years old, made it all feel very real. “It hits you. If we were in that time, we’d be those kids.”
There are scenes in the show, especially in Episode 4, that are deeply intense. Some moments involve torture, and Elordi found those parts especially hard. “The guards would force the prisoners to watch each other suffer. That was the real pain. Watching someone you care about get hurt and being helpless, it was heartbreaking to film.”
He praised his co-star Thomas Weatherall for his brave performance in those scenes. “He gave it everything,” Elordi said.
Deep Inspirations
When preparing for the role, Elordi looked to classic films and actors for inspiration. He mentioned being influenced by Montgomery Clift’s quiet intensity. He also drew from movies like Gallipoli and Phantom Thread. “I would watch Phantom Thread almost every night,” he said. “There’s something about the way the main character used his hands that reminded me of surgery. It helped me get into Dorrigo’s mindset.”
The author of the novel, Richard Flanagan, also gave Elordi some helpful insight. He described two major turning points in Dorrigo’s life, his summer with Amy and his time in the war camps. “Those two moments shape everything else,” Elordi explained. “That helped me understand the character better.”
More Projects on the Horizon
Elordi isn’t slowing down anytime soon. He’s currently filming Season 3 of Euphoria and just wrapped shooting Wuthering Heights, directed by Saltburn’s Emerald Fennell. He didn’t even have to audition for that one. “Emerald just texted me. You can’t really say no to that,” he joked.
He also teased Margot Robbie’s role in the film. “She’s amazing. so full of energy. I can’t wait for people to see her performance.”
Later this year, Elordi will appear in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. He’ll play the iconic monster in this fresh take on the classic story. Del Toro took inspiration from the original 1930s films and worked closely with artist Mike Hill to design the creature.
Interestingly, del Toro gave Elordi a baby development book at the start of filming. “That’s one of the things that really stuck with me,” he said. “I also watched a ton of monster movies to prepare.”