Pedro Almodóvar throws shade at Jacob Elordi

Pedro Almodóvar isn’t mincing words when it comes to Jacob Elordi’s rapid rise in Hollywood.

The celebrated Spanish filmmaker recently questioned whether the Euphoria star’s success is rooted in genuine acting talent or simply his image as a “s*x symbol.”

Speaking on the La Pija y la Quinqui podcast, Almodóvar acknowledged Elordi’s stardom as “real” but cast doubt on the projects that have propelled him forward.

“I was still wondering whether he was a s*x symbol or a respected actor,” he said.

Almodóvar added that Elordi’s Oscar-nominated turn in Frankenstein was a “comfortable” role and his recent Wuthering Heights adaptation was “very bad.”

While he clarified that the shortcomings weren’t Elordi or Margot Robbie’s fault, he argued, “We still need to see him, at least I do, in another role that demands more from him.”

Still, Elordi’s Frankenstein performance has been widely celebrated.

The role earned him his first Academy Award nomination, along with nods from the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and the Actor Awards, cementing his reputation as one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars.

Guillermo del Toro’s reimagining of the monster gave Elordi a chance to explore a more complex version of the iconic character.

Elordi, who has also starred in Euphoria 3, Saltburn, Priscilla, and now Ridley Scott’s upcoming The Dog Stars, remains a fixture in conversations about the next generation of leading men.

But Almodóvar’s critique raises the question about the reason of Elordi’s ascent.