By the looks of Warner Bros.’ new trailer, the upcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights (2026) features a miscast star. But contrary to internet outrage, it’s not Jacob Elordi.
After the Aussie actor convincingly portrayed a doomed and dashing Englishman in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn (2023), she hired him to play Emily Brontë’s gothic antihero Heathcliff. Then all hell broke loose on social media with indignant armchair experts insisting the Byronic character is Black.
This belief probably stems from Brontë’s use of “black” as a synonym. When “blackness” overwhelms Catherine Earnshaw, the complex protagonist is in despair. When she says Heathcliff looks “very black and cross” she’s referring to his morose mood. And when he’s deemed a “black villain” it just means he’s mean.
If readers took every adjective literally, they’d find contradictions since the text depicts Heathcliff as “breathless and white” in one chapter and “white as the wall behind him” in another. He’s also said to project “ghastly paleness.”
Some even speculate that Heathcliff is Catherine’s half-brother which underscores their longing for a union that cannot be. Although there’s no evidence in the classic to support this theory, it would confirm Heathcliff’s recessive genes as he later fathers a blue-eyed blond.
Regardless of his son’s appearance, Heathcliff’s own scruffy clothes, disheveled moptop, and tanned complexion label him a “dark-skinned gipsy.” He’s called a “gipsy” by three different characters; one of whom says he’s not “a regular black.” This suggests Heathcliff is non-African. Indeed, he’s compared to “a little Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway.”
Most likely Heathcliff is part Romani, which the British government now classify as an ethnic sub-group of White. While Elordi doesn’t have the same blend of Indian and European DNA, his Basque ancestry helps him appear more authentic than previous Heathcliffs of obvious Anglo-Saxon (Ralph Fiennes, Tom Hardy) and African (James Howson) descent.
Ironically, Bombay-born Merle Oberon who starred in William Wyler’s Wuthering Heights (1939) shares Heathcliff’s supposed origins despite passing as 100 percent white. Nevertheless, the South Asian starlet was well cast since her brown eyes and mane rival the book’s description of Catherine. Likewise, Heathcliff’s dark hair, “deep black eyes,” bushy brows, and “handsome figure” match Elordi’s physicality.
Certainly, he’s closer to Brontë’s creation than any other performer in the upcoming pic. Irish actress Alison Oliver retains her brunette locks while portraying the fair-haired Isabella. Vietnamese American Hong Chau plays English housekeeper Nelly Dean. And British Pakistani actor Shazad Latif lends his robust and swarthy presence to the frail and pale Edgar Linton.
With this nontraditional casting, Fennell cleverly eliminates race from the drama — on and off screen. Yes, Heathcliff suffers from a sense of otherness and encounters prejudice, but to blame this solely on skin tone misses the larger themes in “Wuthering Heights” (1847).
The timeless universality of overcoming a dysfunctional family is at the story’s core. Before the second generation of Earnshaws and Lintons break unhealthy patterns with kindness and respect, Catherine seeks refuge through marriage; her brother Hindley emotionally escapes with alcohol; Isabella physically flees her abusive spouse; and Heathcliff runs off in search of wealth and retribution.
In this regard, Heathcliff’s coloring is irrelevant because it doesn’t prevent him from reaching his goals. The bigger barrier in the 18th century-set saga is sex. The only way a woman of any race and class can change her station is through marriage. Herein lies the true crux of the plot.
Catherine uses her head instead of her heart to choose a husband. Isabella does the reverse. And both options lead to their undoing. The images in the trailer indicate Fennell’s comprehension of female oppression. Stylized shots show the inherently wild Cathy restricted by the lacing on her corset while submissive Isabella is seen shackled and on her knees. Whether these scenes ring salacious or symbolic within the context of the movie remains to be seen.
Unfortunately, one doesn’t have to watch the film to know its producer Margot Robbie is too old to portray an impulsive teen. Not since 33-year-old Stockyard Channing was cast as a high schooler in Grease (1978) has there been such a cringy discrepancy in age. When Channing’s character misses her period, it’s hard to tell if it’s because she’s pregnant or perimenopausal. Maybe hot flashes are the reason why Robbie’s 36-year-old Cathy roams the cold moors in her nightie.
At least, Fennell has a knack for generating macabre ambiance. In addition to her striking visuals and dry wit, the Oscar-winning writer of Promising Young Woman (2020) can clearly convey the obsessive nature of relationships. This equips her with the right stuff to bring Brontë’s feminist bestseller to the big screen. Of course, audiences won’t know if her brazen interpretation is a breath of fresh air or a hot mess until it comes out on Valentine’s Weekend in 2026.