Jacob Elordi details grueling transformation for Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein'

Jacob Elordi stars in Guillermo del Toro’s 'Frankenstein' alongside Oscar Isaac

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Jacob Elordi gets real about Guillermo del Toro’s 'Frankenstein'

Jacob Elordi is Victor Frankenstein’s monstrous creation in Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of the classic horror novel.

Elordi was over the moon about getting the role with del Toro and one of his favorite actors, Oscar Isaac, who plays Frankenstein.

For the demanding role, the Euphoria star had to sit in a makeup chair for upto 10 hours, practice a certain type of chanting, and move like his limbs were disconnected.

Sharing insight into the makeup, he told Variety, "There’s so many different layers to the costume. When he’s born, he’s wearing nearly nothing. His chest is open and his head is high. Then, as he starts to experience pain, as we do as a teenager, he starts to hunch his shoulders. And as an adult, he closes off."

"You throw time away when you make a film like this," Elordi said. "I stopped having a clock, and I would just wait till the SUV arrived. That meant it was time to go. I didn’t do breakfast, lunch or dinner, or think in terms of morning, afternoon, night. It was just one time."

For the creatures movements, the Saltburn star took inspiration from butoh, a Japanese dance which features a slow and disembodied style. For the unnatural and gargling voice, he listened to Mongolian throat singing.

"It’s guttural smooth chanting," the Priscilla star revealed.

Elordi was cast in the character after Andrew Garfield dropped out of the film only weeks before filming was scheduled to begin. Del Toro had a meeting with him after being impressed by his acting in Saltburn. 

The director immediately knew he had found the perfect star for the role and told Isaac, but Elordi had to wait nine long days for confirmation.

The Shape of Water director told him clearly how grueling the role would be.

"This is the sacrament," del Toro told Elordi. "You need to get into a holy state."

Netflix's Frankenstein will hit theatres for three-weeks starting on October 17, before moving to the streamer on November 7.