Even though the Kissing Booth trilogy may have launched the career of the 26-year-old Australian actor by boosting him into the limelight and gaining mainstream fame, due to this, Elordi quickly became the heartthrob who stole millions of hearts with his portrayal of high school student Noah Flynn in the film trilogy, which began premiering from 2018 to 2021 on Netflix and topped the worldwide global streaming charts with the sequels.
But recently, the Euphoria star has once again made headlines by confessing that he initially had apprehension about the character and even went as far as calling the movies ‘ridiculous.’ This not-so-unexpected statement was made during an exclusive interview for GQ’s Men of the Year issue, where Elordi stated, “I didn’t want to make those movies before I made those movies.” The actor also added, “Those movies are ridiculous. They’re not universal. They’re an escape.”
He further clarified that the reason for accepting The Kissing Booth was because he needed a job, quote, “That one’s a trap as well. Because it can become 15 for them, none for you. You have no original ideas and you’re dead inside. So it’s a fine dance,” he replied. “My ‘one for them,’ I’ve done it.” The actor who will be seen portraying Elvis Presley in the upcoming biopic Priscilla also stated that his career has now reached a place where he could work with directors he adores.
“That’s probably why I’m so happy, because now judgment and comments on the internet and stuff, it’s…” He trails off by eventually finishing the statement with, “I’m in the movie now.”
The actor has also spoken up about how he feels about the criticism he’s received for expressing his regret about the part, including being called “pretentious” for doing so. “How is caring about your output pretentious?” he said, adding, “But not caring, and knowingly feeding people s—, knowing that you’re making money off of people’s time, which is literally the most valuable thing that they have. How is that the cool thing?”
This isn’t the first time Elordi has openly expressed regret about his part in The Kissing Booth trilogy.
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Last year, he also spoke with GQ Hype and shared how he fought back against the film’s team over certain creative decisions.
“I remember saying, ‘He smokes in the book. I need to smoke. He needs to have cigarettes. He’s a bad boy,” Elordi said, adding that his request was shut down. “I was like, ‘This is bulls—!’ I remember going to war for it,” he continued. “I was like, ‘Are we lying to the f—ing millions of 14-year-olds out there? This guy smokes nicotine. It says here on page four – look!’ I imagine people were just like, ‘Jesus f—ing Christ. Is this guy serious?’ “
At last, in the same GQ interview, the actors also addressed and shared their thoughts about the rumors being circulated online about the possibility of playing a superhero, particularly Superman. To this, he expressed, “I don’t see myself having any interest in that. I like to make what I would watch, and I get very restless watching those movies.” He also added, “Well, they asked me to read for Superman.”
“That was immediately, ‘No, thank you.’ That’s too much. That’s too dark for me.”
When asked about whether he could ever see himself in a superhero film, he said, “Not particularly, no. I’ve always been told to say a rounded answer or my agent will get mad at me. ‘Anything can happen!'” Further adding, “And obviously anything can happen, but at this stage in my life, I don’t see myself having any interest in that. I like to make what I would watch, and I get very restless watching those movies.” At last, his answer is clear: not for him.
But he undoubtedly hinted, “And then I’m supposed to finish it with: ‘Never say never!’“
At last, Elordi will be seen in the 2023 black comedy psychological thriller Saltburn, written, directed, and produced by Emerald Fennell. Set in the mid-2000s, it follows a young university student (Keoghan) who becomes infatuated with his aristocratic schoolmate (Elordi) and his wealthy but eccentric family. It is scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2023, and in the United States via a limited theatrical release the same day before expanding wide on November 22, 2023.
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