Washington (US), February 16: Actor Jacob Elordi revealed that he had to lose weight for his role as a prisoner of war in the new Justin Kurzel-directed series The Narrow Road to the Deep North. However, Elordi shared that the weight loss process wasn’t as difficult as one might expect. In fact, he described it as “a very calming experience” that he shared with his fellow cast members, whom he affectionately referred to as “the lads.”
At a Berlin Film Festival press conference, Elordi said, “There was something quite profound that happened, in that it wasn’t complete torture. There was a peace that sort of came over all of us. And you kind of reach a level of love that goes beyond what you’re used to because everything gets stripped away, and you come down to the bare bones of, ‘Is my mate OK? Am I OK? How can I help? Do you want a jellybean?’”
The actor also spoke about the bond he formed with his castmates, noting that they took care of each other throughout the physically and mentally demanding process. He explained that it became “quite primal” as they supported one another, making the experience a deeply meaningful one for the entire group.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is based on Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel. The series follows Dorrigo Evans, a medical officer and Japanese prisoner of war, who is forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway while haunted by the memory of an affair with his uncle’s wife, Amy. The series spans decades, showing Evans’ journey from soldier to prisoner, to war hero, and eventually to an esteemed surgeon and reluctant celebrity.
Elordi praised the sacrifices his fellow cast members made to lose weight for their roles, calling it an “incredibly powerful” experience that forged a special connection on set. He also reflected on his motivations for choosing roles, saying, “I really am just a superfan who is kind of following his heart. I have no real interest in making movies for the sake of entertainment, for making money. It’s to try and capture that impossible feeling that we all have when we see something that’s of substance to us.”
Elordi has been building an impressive filmography with roles in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, and Paul Schrader’s Oh, Canada. He will next star as the Monster in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and leads Wuthering Heights alongside Margot Robbie, set to debut in 2026.
The series The Narrow Road to the Deep North also stars Ciaran Hinds, Odessa Young, Olivia DeJonge, and Simon Baker. It is directed by Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel, known for works like Macbeth (2015), Assassin’s Creed (2016), and Nitram (2021).