Latest news with #Kurzel
Arab Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
Elordi walks a ‘Narrow Road' of war, love
BERLIN, April 23, (AP): Jacob Elordi is gearing up for another busy year. He'll soon be seen in Guillermo del Toro's much-anticipated 'Frankenstein' and is currently filming Emerald Fennell's 'Wuthering Heights.' But during a recent interview in Berlin, Elordi, complete with wild curly Heathcliff hair and sideburns, had his TV series 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' on the mind. Fellow Australian Justin Kurzel directs the adaptation of Richard Flanagan's Man-Booker prizewinning novel of the same name, which tells the story of medical officer Dorrigo Evans (Elordi). Evans was forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway in the jungle of a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. Kurzel and Flanagan are friends from Tasmania, where they both live, and celebrated in London together when Flanagan won the esteemed literary award. But in true Australian style, the idea for the TV series came from a chat back home at a barbeque, Kurzel says with a chuckle. Fittingly, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' is showing on Prime Video in Australia, the US, Canada and New Zealand before reaching Sky and WOW in Germany this summer. The story spans three different timelines - pre-, during and post-war - and three different points of view, which start to merge and overlap as the story unfolds. Although the series is about the courage and horrors of war, a love story is at its heart. Through his ordeal, the married Dorrigo is both sustained and tormented by memories of a love affair he had with his uncle's wife Amy, his one true love, played by Odessa Young. While Kurzel describes the romance as 'the absolute spirit of the whole series,' Elordi admits he was initially 'pretty frightened' about bringing it to the screen. 'I was worried that it would kind of overtake the elements of the novel that kind of interested me, which was the war parts,' says Elordi. But the way Kurzel shot and directed those scenes prompted a change of heart. 'He allowed us this space for it to be incredibly raw and real and gentle and it ended up becoming my sort of favorite part of the filmmaking process because we shot it in halves.' Cautious Kurzel says he had never done a love story and was ' cautious and fiercely curious about what that would be with Jacob and Odessa.' With the love story shot first, Elordi, who had a major year in 2023 after starring as Elvis Presley in 'Priscilla' and Fennell's 'Saltburn,' adds he was better able to shape his portrayal of the haunted Dorrigo, when it came time to film the Japanese POW scenes. 'Being able to have those memories while we were shooting the camps, of shooting with Dess (Odessa Young) and Olivia (DeJonge), was a core part of the performance, which goes back to Richard's book. The two just inform each other, like it's a whole life.' Casting Elordi was easy for Kurzel who said he 'knew right away' that he was right for the role but adds that a special dedication and focus was needed from all the actors cast as soldiers, as they underwent dramatic weight loss to play prisoners of war. 'The crew looking at them coming on set … there's a 'Wow, we'd better be on today because we can see kind of what these boys have done for it.' So that was really, really powerful,' Kurzel says. Their dedication allowed him to shoot these brutal scenes in a very grounded and truthful way. 'These boys are incredible, but they're incredibly tired. They're kind of wasted away, you know, the level of sort of focus, you can't have it for the whole day. So you've got to be really kind of precise about that.' Elordi says that the six-week weight loss journey was a cumulative effort that also included the background actors. 'Seeing that many, especially young people put that effort into something. It was genuinely amazing to see that when we came back from that break, it was like, oh, my God.' This series marks the second time Elordi has costarred with an older version of himself in the same movie. Last year Elordi played a young version of Richard Gere in Paul Schrader's 'Oh, Canada' and in this series Irish actor Ciarán Hinds plays him in his later years, looking back on his time in the war. Asked who he would like to see play an older version of himself next, Elordi laughed and suggested 'Meryl Streep.' And while fans wait for that collaboration, Elordi says he will
Mint
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Jacob Elordi talks humanising Dorrigo Evans in The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Washington [US], April 21 (ANI): Jacob Elordi, known for his roles in 'Euphoria' and 'Saltburn', has returned to his homeland for a project that is deeply significant to both him and Australian culture. The highly anticipated Amazon Prime Video limited series 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North', based on Richard Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel, debuted on April 18, 2025. The series marks a notable first for both Elordi and Australian director Justin Kurzel, who is taking on his first-ever television project with this adaptation. The show, which was produced by Sony Pictures Television, Curio Pictures, and Amazon MGM Studios Australia, features a powerful and intimate portrayal of the Australian experience during and after World War II. The story follows the life of Dorrigo Evans, an Australian surgeon who is captured and subjected to brutal conditions as a prisoner of war in the infamous Burma Railway, as per The Hollywood Reporter. As Evans grapples with the horrors of war and the loss of a fleeting love, he faces the burden of his memories, guilt, and the trauma of heroism. In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Elordi discussed the significance of returning to Australia for the role of Dorrigo Evans, a complex character marked by both heroism and deep flaws. Elordi called Kurzel his "cinema father," adding that the opportunity to work with such a renowned director was one he could not pass up. "When you're Australian -- and I think it's the same for all the boys in the show -- there's one man that you want to work with in Australia and it's Kurzel," Elordi said, reflecting on his admiration for the director. For Kurzel, Elordi's involvement in the series was a natural fit. Having seen Elordi's previous work, Kurzel was eager to collaborate with him on the project. "I think he's fantastic, so I was like, let's work together and try to find out what Dorrigo could be," Kurzel explained during the interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The adaptation of 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' comes with significant pressure. Not only is the novel a monumental piece of Australian literature, but it also explores deeply personal and painful themes surrounding war, trauma, and memory. Justin Kurzel and his longtime collaborator, Shaun Grant, worked meticulously on the screenplay to ensure the series did justice to Flanagan's work, which is widely regarded as one of the best Australian novels of the 21st century. Kurzel explained the challenge of balancing the horror of war with the personal and intimate moments of Dorrigo's internal struggle. "I always saw it through the prism of love, not only with Amy, but also with this sort of beautiful relationship he has with the men," Kurzel said. He described the relationship between Dorrigo and the men he cared for as one of mutual support and tenderness amidst the trauma of their circumstances. Elordi added that the character's contradictions, his status as a war hero and deeply flawed man, were what made Dorrigo human and relatable. "The most humanity you'll find in people is probably in their contradictions. That's what makes people human," Elordi explained. He added that his approach to the character was driven by the energy of the set and the collaborative process with Kurzel. The series features an ensemble cast, including Odessa Young, Olivia DeJonge, Ciaran Hinds, and Essie Davis, along with Japanese actors Sho Kasamatsu, Taki Abe, and Akira Fujii. A haunting score from Jed Kurzel sets the tone for the series' deeply emotional narrative. As for the technical aspects of filming, Kurzel revealed that the team used long takes and immersive shooting techniques to make the harrowing scenes of war feel as real and visceral as possible. "We did extremely long takes... there's something about the continuous takes that allows a reality for the other boys to experience it," Kurzel said during the interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Though set against the backdrop of war, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' goes beyond depicting historical events. Elordi emphasised the universal appeal of the book, noting that its character studies resonate with people across the globe. "It's a deeply human book and it'll live forever like all great literature does... there's these character studies that I think are relatable and relevant to every kind of person," Elordi said. (ANI) First Published: 21 Apr 2025, 03:51 PM IST
Gulf Today
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Jacob Elordi is gearing up for another busy year for sure
Jacob Elordi is gearing up for another busy year. He'll soon be seen in Guillermo del Toro's much-anticipated 'Frankenstein' and is currently filming Emerald Fennell's 'Wuthering Heights.' But during a recent interview in Berlin, Elordi, complete with wild curly Heathcliff hair and sideburns, had his upcoming Australian TV series 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' on the mind. Fellow Australian Justin Kurzel directs the adaptation of Richard Flanagan 's Man-Booker prize-winning novel of the same name, which tells the story of medical officer Dorrigo Evans (Elordi). Evans was forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway in the jungle of a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. Kurzel and Flanagan are friends from Tasmania, where they both live, and celebrated in London together when Flanagan won the esteemed literary award. But in true Australian style, the idea for the TV series came from a chat back home at a barbeque, Kurzel says with a chuckle. Fittingly, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' is showing in Australia on Prime Video starting on April 18 before reaching Sky and WOW in Germany this summer. (Additional territories have yet to be announced.) The story spans three different timelines — pre, during and post-war — and three different points of view, which start to merge and overlap as the story unfolds. Although the series is about the courage and horrors of war, a love story is at its heart. Through his ordeal, the married Dorrigo is both sustained and tormented by memories of a love affair he had with his uncle's wife Amy, his one true love, played by Odessa Young. While Kurzel describes the romance as 'the absolute spirit of the whole series,' Elordi admits he was initially 'pretty frightened' about bringing it to the screen. 'I was worried that it would kind of overtake the elements of the novel that kind of interested me, which was the war parts,' says Elordi. But the way Kurzel shot and directed those scenes prompted a change of heart. 'He allowed us this space for it to be incredibly raw and real and gentle and it ended up becoming my sort of favorite part of the filmmaking process because we shot it in halves.' Kurzel says he had never done a love story and was 'extremely careful and cautious and fiercely curious about what that would be with Jacob and Odessa.' With the love story shot first, Elordi, who had a major year in 2023 after starring as Elvis Presley in 'Priscilla' and Fennell's 'Saltburn,' adds he was better able to shape his portrayal of the haunted Dorrigo, when it came time to film the Japanese POW scenes. 'Being able to have those memories while we were shooting the camps, of shooting with Dess (Odessa Young) and Olivia (DeJonge), was a core part of the performance, which goes back to Richard's book. The two just inform each other, like it's a whole life.' Casting Elordi was easy for Kurzel who said he 'knew right away' that he was right for the role but adds that a special dedication and focus was needed from all the actors cast as soldiers, as they underwent dramatic weight loss to play prisoners of war. 'The crew looking at them coming on set ... there's a 'Wow, we'd better be on today because we can see kind of what these boys have done for it.' So that was really, really powerful,' Kurzel says. Their dedication allowed him to shoot these brutal scenes in a very grounded and truthful way. 'These boys are incredible, but they're incredibly tired. They're kind of wasted away, you know, the level of sort of focus, you can't have it for the whole day. So you've got to be really kind of precise about that.' Elordi says that the six-week weight loss journey was a cumulative effort that also included the background actors. 'Seeing that many, especially young people put that effort into something. It was genuinely amazing to see that when we came back from that break, it was like, oh, my God.' Associated Press
Washington Post
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Jacob Elordi talks weight loss and on-screen romance for 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North'
BERLIN — Jacob Elordi is gearing up for another busy year. He'll soon be seen in Guillermo del Toro's much-anticipated 'Frankenstein' and is currently filming Emerald Fennell's 'Wuthering Heights.' But during a recent interview in Berlin, Elordi, complete with wild curly Heathcliff hair and sideburns, had his upcoming Australian TV series 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' on the mind. Fellow Australian Justin Kurzel directs the adaptation of Richard Flanagan 's Man-Booker prize-winning novel of the same name, which tells the story of medical officer Dorrigo Evans (Elordi). Evans was forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway in the jungle of a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. Kurzel and Flanagan are friends from Tasmania, where they both live, and celebrated in London together when Flanagan won the esteemed literary award. But in true Australian style, the idea for the TV series came from a chat back home at a barbeque, Kurzel says with a chuckle. Fittingly, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' is showing in Australia on Prime Video starting on April 18 before reaching Sky and WOW in Germany this summer. (Additional territories have yet to be announced.) The story spans three different timelines — pre-, during and post-war — and three different points of view, which start to merge and overlap as the story unfolds. Although the series is about the courage and horrors of war, a love story is at its heart. Through his ordeal, the married Dorrigo is both sustained and tormented by memories of a love affair he had with his uncle's wife Amy, his one true love, played by Odessa Young. While Kurzel describes the romance as 'the absolute spirit of the whole series,' Elordi admits he was initially 'pretty frightened' about bringing it to the screen. 'I was worried that it would kind of overtake the elements of the novel that kind of interested me, which was the war parts,' says Elordi. But the way Kurzel shot and directed those scenes prompted a change of heart. 'He allowed us this space for it to be incredibly raw and real and gentle and it ended up becoming my sort of favorite part of the filmmaking process because we shot it in halves.' Kurzel says he had never done a love story and was 'extremely careful and cautious and fiercely curious about what that would be with Jacob and Odessa.' With the love story shot first, Elordi, who had a major year in 2023 after starring as Elvis Presley in 'Priscilla' and Fennell's 'Saltburn,' adds he was better able to shape his portrayal of the haunted Dorrigo, when it came time to film the Japanese POW scenes. 'Being able to have those memories while we were shooting the camps, of shooting with Dess (Odessa Young) and Olivia (DeJonge), was a core part of the performance, which goes back to Richard's book. The two just inform each other, like it's a whole life.' Casting Elordi was easy for Kurzel who said he 'knew right away' that he was right for the role but adds that a special dedication and focus was needed from all the actors cast as soldiers, as they underwent dramatic weight loss to play prisoners of war. 'The crew looking at them coming on set … there's a 'Wow, we'd better be on today because we can see kind of what these boys have done for it.' So that was really, really powerful,' Kurzel says. Their dedication allowed him to shoot these brutal scenes in a very grounded and truthful way. 'These boys are incredible, but they're incredibly tired. They're kind of wasted away, you know, the level of sort of focus, you can't have it for the whole day. So you've got to be really kind of precise about that.' Elordi says that the six-week weight loss journey was a cumulative effort that also included the background actors. 'Seeing that many, especially young people put that effort into something. It was genuinely amazing to see that when we came back from that break, it was like, oh, my God.' This series marks the second time Elordi has co-starred with an older version of himself in the same movie. Last year Elordi played a young version of Richard Gere in Paul Schrader's 'Oh, Canada' and in this series Irish actor Ciarán Hinds plays him in his later years, looking back on his time in the war. Asked who he would like to see play an older version of himself next, Elordi laughed and suggested 'Meryl Streep.' And while fans wait for that collaboration, Elordi says he will not be letting the inevitable rise in fame phase him. 'I get to make movies a lot, and that is my dream so I am probably the luckiest man alive.'
The Independent
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jacob Elordi talks weight loss and on-screen romance for 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North'
Jacob Elordi is gearing up for another busy year. He'll soon be seen in Guillermo del Toro's much-anticipated 'Frankenstein' and is currently filming Emerald Fennell's 'Wuthering Heights." But during a recent interview in Berlin, Elordi, complete with wild curly Heathcliff hair and sideburns, had his upcoming Australian TV series 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' on the mind. Fellow Australian Justin Kurzel directs the adaptation of Richard Flanagan 's Man-Booker prize-winning novel of the same name, which tells the story of medical officer Dorrigo Evans (Elordi). Evans was forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway in the jungle of a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. Kurzel and Flanagan are friends from Tasmania, where they both live, and celebrated in London together when Flanagan won the esteemed literary award. But in true Australian style, the idea for the TV series came from a chat back home at a barbeque, Kurzel says with a chuckle. Fittingly, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' is showing in Australia on Prime Video starting on April 18 before reaching Sky and WOW in Germany this summer. (Additional territories have yet to be announced.) The story spans three different timelines — pre-, during and post-war — and three different points of view, which start to merge and overlap as the story unfolds. Although the series is about the courage and horrors of war, a love story is at its heart. Through his ordeal, the married Dorrigo is both sustained and tormented by memories of a love affair he had with his uncle's wife Amy, his one true love, played by Odessa Young. While Kurzel describes the romance as 'the absolute spirit of the whole series,' Elordi admits he was initially 'pretty frightened' about bringing it to the screen. 'I was worried that it would kind of overtake the elements of the novel that kind of interested me, which was the war parts,' says Elordi. But the way Kurzel shot and directed those scenes prompted a change of heart. 'He allowed us this space for it to be incredibly raw and real and gentle and it ended up becoming my sort of favorite part of the filmmaking process because we shot it in halves.' Kurzel says he had never done a love story and was 'extremely careful and cautious and fiercely curious about what that would be with Jacob and Odessa.' With the love story shot first, Elordi, who had a major year in 2023 after starring as Elvis Presley in 'Priscilla' and Fennell's 'Saltburn,' adds he was better able to shape his portrayal of the haunted Dorrigo, when it came time to film the Japanese POW scenes. 'Being able to have those memories while we were shooting the camps, of shooting with Dess (Odessa Young) and Olivia (DeJonge), was a core part of the performance, which goes back to Richard's book. The two just inform each other, like it's a whole life.' Casting Elordi was easy for Kurzel who said he 'knew right away' that he was right for the role but adds that a special dedication and focus was needed from all the actors cast as soldiers, as they underwent dramatic weight loss to play prisoners of war. 'The crew looking at them coming on set … there's a 'Wow, we'd better be on today because we can see kind of what these boys have done for it.' So that was really, really powerful,' Kurzel says. Their dedication allowed him to shoot these brutal scenes in a very grounded and truthful way. 'These boys are incredible, but they're incredibly tired. They're kind of wasted away, you know, the level of sort of focus, you can't have it for the whole day. So you've got to be really kind of precise about that.' Elordi says that the six-week weight loss journey was a cumulative effort that also included the background actors. 'Seeing that many, especially young people put that effort into something. It was genuinely amazing to see that when we came back from that break, it was like, oh, my God.' This series marks the second time Elordi has co-starred with an older version of himself in the same movie. Last year Elordi played a young version of Richard Gere in Paul Schrader's 'Oh, Canada' and in this series Irish actor Ciarán Hinds plays him in his later years, looking back on his time in the war. Asked who he would like to see play an older version of himself next, Elordi laughed and suggested 'Meryl Streep.' And while fans wait for that collaboration, Elordi says he will not be letting the inevitable rise in fame phase him. 'I get to make movies a lot, and that is my dream so I am probably the luckiest man alive.'
