Rise to Fame
Jacob Elordi didn't quietly become famous. He exploded onto the scene thanks to Netflix's teen machine, The Kissing Booth. He was the tall, brooding, but ultimately charming bad boy everyone wanted a piece of in 2018. It was the perfect storm of a low-stakes rom-com and the streaming platform's massive reach. People ate it up. But it wasn't until his unsettling turn as Nate Jacobs in HBO's Euphoria that anyone truly considered him more than a pretty face. That show, a cultural phenomenon in its own right, proved he wasn't just a teen heartthrob. He had range, playing a genuinely terrifying character that solidified his place in the Gen Z zeitgeist. He basically rode the wave of two massive, but very different, youth-focused hits.
In the Spotlight
These days, Elordi is working hard to shed the teen-movie baggage. He's moved into prestige territory, starring as Elvis in Sofia Coppola's Priscilla and making a splash (literally) in Emerald Fennell's Saltburn. He's leaning into a more fashion-forward, slightly detached persona. The public loves to dissect his red carpet looks and his penchant for carrying around a vintage camera. He's become the internet's favorite tall, dark, and brooding intellectual, even if he sometimes comes across as a bit too cool for school. His career trajectory shows a clear intent to be taken seriously, and for the most part, it's working. He's navigated the tricky waters from teen crush to genuine leading man with surprising agility.
Side Notes
He's originally from Brisbane, Australia, which probably explains some of that laconic charm. Before he was starring opposite Zendaya, he tried modeling at 15 but got rejected for being too tall. He's since said he's grateful it didn't work out. There's a running theme in his interviews where he doesn't exactly hide his disdain for The Kissing Booth franchise, which is a bold move considering it's what launched him. It's almost part of his brand now, this slight aversion to the very thing that made him a household name. He often carries books and film cameras, cultivating an image that screams 'serious artist' over 'teen idol,' which, honestly, is probably the smartest play he could make in this era.