Pedro Almodóvar reflects on Jacob Elordi’s rising stardom and recent work, making it clear he still wants to see the actor take on a more demanding role.
Jacob Elordi is once again at the centre of industry conversation, this time בעקבות comments from acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, who has publicly questioned the depth of the actor’s acting range despite acknowledging his undeniable global success. The remarks have sparked renewed debate around Elordi’s position in the industry and whether his career has fully transitioned from screen presence to artistic credibility.
Speaking during an appearance on the podcast ‘La Pija y la Quinqui’, Pedro Almodóvar offered a candid perspective on how he perceives Elordi within today’s entertainment landscape. His reflection was both sharp and revealing: “Now I see that Jacob Elordi’s stardom is real. I still wondered whether he was a sex symbol or a respected actor.” With this statement, the director openly recognised Elordi’s cultural impact while also suggesting that, from his point of view, the actor has yet to fully prove himself as a serious performer.
The comments do not dismiss Jacob Elordi’s popularity, but they introduce a key question about how his career will evolve beyond his public image. At the core of Almodóvar’s observation lies a familiar dilemma for many rising stars: whether charisma and visibility will eventually translate into a body of work defined by complex and challenging roles.
During the same conversation, Pedro Almodóvar also referred to ‘Wuthering Heights’, describing the film as “very bad”, although he clarified that he does not attribute its shortcomings directly to the actors involved. According to him, performers can only do so much with the material they are given. This nuance suggests that his assessment of Elordi is not rooted in outright criticism, but rather in a higher expectation regarding the type of roles the actor should pursue moving forward.
Almodóvar has long been known for his demanding vision of acting, one that prioritises emotional depth, intensity and transformation. His perspective carries particular weight in an era where fame can be achieved rapidly, especially for younger actors propelled into global visibility through high-impact series such as ‘Euphoria’, which played a pivotal role in Elordi’s rise. In today’s landscape, media exposure and fan-driven popularity do not always equate to artistic validation.
This does not imply that Jacob Elordi lacks talent. Instead, Almodóvar’s remarks point to something more specific: the absence, at least in his eyes, of a defining role that confirms the actor’s full interpretative depth. The issue is not whether Elordi works on screen, but whether he can meet the expectations of a filmmaker whose standards are rooted in authorial cinema and rigorous storytelling.
The director also briefly mentioned Elordi’s involvement in ‘Frankenstein’, describing his performance as “comfortable”. While not dismissive, the choice of word suggests a portrayal that is effective yet not particularly transformative. It is within this context that Almodóvar delivered his most telling observation: he still needs to see Elordi in a role that truly pushes him beyond his current limits.
Ultimately, the takeaway from these statements is clear. Pedro Almodóvar recognises that Jacob Elordi has moved beyond being simply a striking presence or a popular figure — he is now a genuine star within the contemporary entertainment landscape. However, from the director’s perspective, stardom alone is not enough to secure a lasting and respected acting career.
For Almodóvar, the definitive test still lies ahead. And in an industry where longevity is often defined by the ability to evolve, the next choices Elordi makes may determine whether he remains a cultural phenomenon — or becomes something more enduring: a fully realised actor capable of leaving a deeper mark on cinema.
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