Jacob Elordi is one of those actors who is always keeping things interesting. Fresh off roles in "Priscilla" and "Saltburn" he's already diving into something completely different. This time it's a new Australian TV series called " The Narrow Road to the Deep North " and trust me it sounds intense.
From Heartthrob to Harrowing: Jacob Elordi's Dramatic Weight Loss for WWII Prison Camp Role in 'The Narrow Road'
Jacob is starring as Dorrigo Evans a medical officer in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. This is not your typical Hollywood role and Elordi is taking it seriously like seriously seriously. For the part he actually went through a six-week weight loss journey along with the rest of the cast playing soldiers.
Director Justin Kurzel wanted to make sure the POW camp scenes felt real and grounded and Elordi says seeing everyone commit to the physical transformation was "genuinely amazing". Imagine showing up on set and seeing all these actors especially young ones having changed their bodies to truly embody these characters. That's dedication!
Beyond the Battlefield: Love Story at the Heart of 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' Series Explored
While the series deals with the harsh realities of war it's also a love story. At the center is Dorrigo's complicated relationship with Amy his uncle's wife. Odessa Young plays Amy and Elordi admits he was initially "pretty frightened" about tackling the romantic side of the story. He worried it might overshadow the war elements that initially grabbed him.
But director Kurzel's approach changed his mind. He shot the romance scenes first giving Elordi and Young space to make it "incredibly raw and real and gentle." Elordi even says these love scenes became his favorite part of filming. He explains having those memories of filming the romance actually helped shape his performance in the brutal POW camp scenes. It's all connected like life he says.
Kurzel himself mentions he had never directed a love story before and was very careful about how to approach it with Jacob and Odessa. It sounds like they created something special and moving within the series.
Australian Roots and Global Reach: 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' Release Details Revealed
"The Narrow Road to the Deep North" is based on a novel by Australian author Richard Flanagan which won the Man Booker Prize. Director Justin Kurzel is also Australian and friends with Flanagan. The idea for the TV adaptation actually came from a casual chat at a barbeque in Tasmania where they both live. How Aussie is that?
Fittingly the series will Premiere in Australia first on Prime Video starting April 18 2025. German audiences can catch it this summer on Sky and WOW. More release dates for other countries are still to be announced so keep an eye out if you are keen to watch from elsewhere.
From Heathcliff Hair to Meryl Streep Dreams: Elordi's Transformation and Future Aspirations
In interviews for the series Elordi is sporting wild curly hair and sideburns very Heathcliff-esque from "Wuthering Heights" which he is currently filming with Emerald Fennell. He's definitely embracing character transformations.
Interestingly "The Narrow Road to the Deep North" is not the first time Elordi has played a younger version of a character portrayed by another actor. He played young Richard Gere in "Oh Canada". In this series Ciarán Hinds plays the older Dorrigo. When asked who he'd like to see play an even older version of himself Elordi jokingly suggested Meryl Streep. Can we make that happen Hollywood?
Despite his rising fame especially after a busy 2023 Elordi seems pretty grounded. He says he feels "probably the luckiest man alive" to be making movies and he's not letting fame change him. That's always good to hear in Hollywood.
Key Facts About Jacob Elordi's 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' TV Series:
- Based on Richard Flanagan's Man Booker Prize-winning novel.
- Jacob Elordi stars as Dorrigo Evans a WWII medical officer in a POW camp.
- Spans three timelines and perspectives.
- Love story is central alongside war themes.
- Directed by Australian Justin Kurzel.
- Elordi underwent weight loss for the role.
- Ciarán Hinds plays older Dorrigo.
- Australian release on Prime Video April 18 2025.
- German release on Sky and WOW summer 2025.