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Casting Director Defends Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s Wuthering Heights Roles Amid Backlash

BBG News

A film producer has addressed the criticism about Margot Robbie, aged 34, and Jacob Elordi, who is 27 years old, playing the lead roles in the new adaptation of Wuthering Heights.

At the Q&A panel held at the Sands film festival in Scotland, Kharmel Cochrane addressed questions regarding the age of Australian actors and Elordi’s ethnicity by stating that it doesn’t matter much as ‘it’s merely a story from a book.’

The seasoned actress is facing a good deal of criticism for her role in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of the cherished classic novel, as stated by the casting expert.

According to Cochrane, as reported by Deadline, there was a single comment on Instagram suggesting that the casting director should be fired with a gun.

Just take a look at this, and afterwards, feel free to judge if you’d like to keep it or not. There’s no need for precision here; it’s just a book.

‘That is not based on real life. It’s all art.’

She went on to say, “Some English Literature enthusiasts may not be pleased.

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Robbie is currently facing criticism on the internet for her lead part in the recently adapted movie based on the well-known book, which is now being shot in the United Kingdom.

Some readers of the book have debated whether the mature 34-year-old actor might be too experienced or too old for portraying the teenage character, Catherine, in a fictional role.

Following a flurry of photos from the Barbie movie set that spread like wildfire across social media platforms last week, numerous fans expressed their opinions that the chosen actress does not fit the role appropriately, labeling her as ‘inappropriate’ for the part.

The images depict Robbie portraying Catherine, adorned in a breathtakingly beautiful off-the-shoulder wedding gown boasting an extravagant train.

In the photos, we see Robbie playing as Catherine, dressed exquisitely in a magnificent off-shoulder wedding dress with a grandiose skirt.

She also wears a veil and has her beautiful blonde locks in an artful braid.

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Some fans of X have expressed concerns that the casting of Robbie and her attractive co-star could potentially alter the authenticity or faithfulness of Emily Brontë’s 18th-century novel, a work that has been adapted numerous times during the past century.

The main narrative revolves around the troubled dynamics between the Earnshaw family, who belong to the upper-middle class, and Heathcliff, a boy they adopt after he becomes an orphan.

The announcement of Elordi’s casting in September had sparked significant controversy among critics, given that his role as the main character, who is depicted as having dark skin and black eyes, is referred to as a ‘gypsy with a mysterious demeanor.’

Healthcliff is further characterized as having the qualities of a 19th-century “Little Lascar,” a term referring to Indian sailors, causing some critics to argue that Elordi does not possess enough racial versatility or ambiguity in his appearance for the role.

During an interview with IndieWire, the actor who stars in Euphoria shared details on how he got the part initially, a revelation which further fueled criticism.

‘I was really lucky,’ he said.

Initially, I had planned to take some time off, but suddenly, Emerald sent a straightforward message, and it’s impossible to ignore a text like that.

He added to the publication: ‘I’m so, so excited for people to see it.’

In various literary works, Heathcliff stands out as a deeply intricate character without a clear hero or villain label, often described with complexity rather than simplicity. Despite the ambiguity of his racial identity in the original novel, he has been portrayed by actors of Caucasian descent, such as Tom Hardy, Ralph Fiennes, and Lawrence Olivier, on screen adaptations.

In this adaptation, the role of Edgar Linton, a wealthy aristocrat who marries Cathy, will be portrayed by Shazad Latif, a 36-year-old British Pakistani actor. Meanwhile, the part of Nelly Dean, the housekeeper, is set to be played by Hong Chau, an American actress born in Thailand who has been nominated for an Oscar at the age of 45.

The budding British actor, Owen Cooper, known for creating a stir with his first role in Netflix’s Adolescence, will portray the adolescent version of Heathcliff.

In her own words, Cochrane shared that she doesn’t let external factors such as the source material or a director’s vision control her casting choices. She likened this to reading a book and forming one’s own unique interpretation of its characters.

She last paired Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi together on the set of 2023 thriller Saltburn. 

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2025-05-01 03:50

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