Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi didn’t just step into the world of Wuthering Heights—they fully immersed themselves in it, in a way that was both intense and unexpectedly hilarious.
The two stars, who play the legendary lovers Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff in the upcoming adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel, recently shared a behind-the-scenes story that perfectly captures the emotional commitment required for such a passionate love story.
And surprisingly, they had their director, Emerald Fennell, to thank for setting the tone right from the start.
Emerald Fennell’s “Unhinged” Dressing Room Surprise
During a joint interview, Margot revealed that the filmmaker took an unusual—and unforgettable—approach to building chemistry between her leading actors.
At the studio, both Margot and Jacob had their own dressing rooms. But one day, they walked in to find something completely unexpected.
Emerald Fennell had transformed each of their spaces into what Margot described as full-on “shrines” dedicated to the other actor.
Margot explained that the director went all in, decorating the rooms with dramatic flair. These weren’t simple joke posters or playful notes. Instead, Emerald created elaborate displays featuring pictures, candles, and even eerie little details like locks of hair.
Margot couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all, calling the move “so unhinged” but also incredibly funny.
Her dressing room became a “Jacob shrine,” while Jacob’s room turned into a “Margot shrine.”
The stunt was bizarre, theatrical, and totally on brand for a director known for bold creative choices.
Jacob Elordi’s Reaction: “Fantastic”
Jacob, too, was amused by the director’s over-the-top prank.
He described the shrine concept as both funny and fantastic, appreciating the strange dedication behind it.
While it may have started as a joke, the gesture also sent a clear message: this production was going to demand intensity.
And Wuthering Heights is not a story that works without intensity.
The love between Catherine and Heathcliff is famously obsessive, haunting, and emotionally consuming. Emerald’s playful “shrine” stunt may have been humorous, but it also pushed the actors into the right mindset.
Setting the Bar for On-Screen Passion
Margot admitted that Emerald’s dramatic approach set the tone for everything that followed.
In her words, the director “set the bar high.”
Once the shrines appeared, Margot and Jacob felt like they had to match that same level of commitment in their performances.
The actors weren’t just showing up to deliver lines—they were stepping into one of literature’s most emotionally charged romances, and Emerald made sure they understood the stakes.
Margot explained that after the shrines, they kept trying to meet that bar every day on set.
The message was clear: this story requires total immersion.
Playing Catherine and Heathcliff: A Demanding Bond
In the film, Margot and Jacob portray Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, two characters whose love story is both passionate and destructive.
Their connection isn’t sweet or simple—it’s intense, stormy, and unforgettable.
To portray that kind of relationship convincingly, the actors needed more than just rehearsals. They needed a bond that felt real, even off-camera.
And according to Margot, that bond formed quickly.
Margot Robbie Admits Feeling “Codependent” on Set
Margot, who is also a mother to a 15-month-old child with her husband Tom Ackerley, opened up in a separate interview about how fast she and Jacob became attached during filming.
She confessed that within just a few days, she began to feel almost “codependent” with her co-star.
In the early days on set, Jacob was often nearby—quietly watching from a corner or lingering close to where she was.
At first, Margot noticed his presence.
Then, by the third day, she realized something surprising: she had started looking for him automatically.
She found herself scanning the set, expecting him to be somewhere close.
It became a strange comfort.
Feeling Lost Without Him
Margot described one moment when Jacob wasn’t around, and she felt oddly unsettled.
She said his absence left her feeling “unnerved and unmoored.”
In fact, she compared it to a child suddenly without their security blanket.
She caught herself thinking, Where is he?
The emotional dependence mirrored the dynamic of the characters they were portraying—two people whose identities become tangled together.
For a love story like Wuthering Heights, that kind of off-screen connection may have been exactly what the film needed.
Jacob Calls Their Bond a “Mutual Obsession”
Jacob also acknowledged the intensity of their connection.
He described their bond as a “mutual obsession,” saying he was genuinely enamored by Margot.
His words suggest that the chemistry wasn’t manufactured—it grew naturally through the process of working together.
While their relationship remains professional, the emotional closeness they developed seems to have strengthened their performances.
And for a story built on obsession, longing, and tragedy, that emotional realism is crucial.
A Love Story Fueled by Commitment
Between Emerald Fennell’s bizarre shrine prank and the actors’ rapidly forming bond, it’s clear this adaptation of Wuthering Heights is aiming for something powerful.
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi didn’t just act out Catherine and Heathcliff’s love—they lived in the emotional atmosphere of it.
The shrines may have started as a joke, but they symbolized the larger truth: this film is taking its romance seriously.
With such dedication behind the scenes, audiences can expect an intense, unforgettable take on one of the greatest love stories ever written.