In 2018, he was the nice guy in a Netflix rom-com, kissing a girl in a high school kissing booth.
In 2024, he drank someone's bathwater in a bathtub on screen—and it became the most talked-about movie scene of the year.
Between those two moments: A calculated career pivot that turned a teen heartthrob into one of Hollywood's most respected young actors.
He escaped "rom-com jail." He chose disturbing, dark, prestige projects over safe, lucrative franchises. He played Elvis Presley. He starred in HBO's most controversial show.
And at just 27 years old, he's gone from "the guy from The Kissing Booth" to "the most dangerous actor of his generation."
This is the story of how a 6'5" Australian model-turned-actor strategically destroyed his teen idol image—and built something far more powerful in its place.
The Australian Model Who Moved to LA (1997-2015)
Born in Brisbane, June 26, 1997
He grew up in Brisbane, Australia, in a creative family.
His mother: A massage therapist. His father: A videographer.
At 6'5" tall by age 16, he stood out—literally.
The Modeling Start (2013-2015)
At 16, he started modeling.
Why modeling? "I was tall. Agencies approached me. I needed money."
But he didn't want to be a model. He wanted to act.
Moving to Los Angeles (2017)
At 19, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting.
The challenge: He had no connections, no agent, no credits.
"I lived in a shitty apartment with four other guys," he later said. "I auditioned for everything. I got rejected constantly."
The Netflix Rom-Com Trap (2018-2021)
The Kissing Booth (May 11, 2018)
In May 2018, Netflix released The Kissing Booth—a teen rom-com about high school romance.
His role: Noah Flynn, the popular bad boy love interest.
Box office equivalent: One of Netflix's most-watched films of 2018 (exact numbers undisclosed).
Impact on his career:
- Instant recognition among teens
- 10 million+ Instagram followers
- Teen magazine covers
- Labeled as a "teen heartthrob"
The Problem: Rom-Com Jail
Hollywood has a cruel pattern: Cast someone in a successful rom-com, then refuse to see them as anything else.
What happened to him:
- Casting directors only offered rom-com roles
- Serious filmmakers didn't take him seriously
- He was seen as "generic hot guy"
"I hated it," he admitted in a 2023 interview. "I didn't want to be known for kissing someone in a high school movie."
The Kissing Booth 2 (2020) and 3 (2021)
Despite his growing frustration, he signed on for two sequels:
Why? Contractual obligation + money.
The result: More fame. More teen fans. More typecasting.
"I did those movies because I had to," he said. "But I knew I needed to escape."
The Strategic Pivot: Euphoria (2019)
Auditioning for Nate Jacobs
While filming The Kissing Booth 2, he auditioned for HBO's Euphoria—a dark, disturbing teen drama about addiction, abuse, and trauma.
The role: Nate Jacobs, a violent, abusive high school football player with severe anger issues and toxic masculinity.
The audition: He had to portray rage, vulnerability, and menace.
Director Sam Levinson's reaction: "I knew immediately. He had this darkness I needed."
June 16, 2019: Euphoria Premieres
When Euphoria premiered on HBO, it shocked audiences.
His character:
- Physically and emotionally abusive to his girlfriend
- Struggles with repressed sexuality and violent rage
- Complex, disturbing, and deeply flawed
Critics' reaction:
- "Terrifyingly good"
- "A revelation"
- "The show's most complex character"
The transformation: From rom-com heartthrob to serious dramatic actor.
The Nate Jacobs Effect
Playing Nate Jacobs changed everything:
What it proved:
- He could act (not just be pretty)
- He could play dark, complex characters
- He could hold his own against Zendaya (the show's lead)
The backlash: Many fans of The Kissing Booth were confused and disturbed.
"I get DMs from teenage girls saying, 'Why would you play someone like Nate?'" he said. "That's exactly why I did it. To break the mold."
The Deliberate Image Destruction (2020-2022)
The Anti-Heartthrob Campaign
Between 2020 and 2022, he systematically destroyed his teen idol image:
Step 1: Refuse rom-com offers "I turned down millions," he said. "I refused to do more rom-coms. I wanted to be taken seriously."
Step 2: Choose dark, disturbing roles Euphoria Seasons 1 and 2: Violent, abusive character Deep Water (2022): Psychological thriller with Ben Affleck
Step 3: Distance himself from The Kissing Booth In interviews, he began criticizing the films: "Those movies aren't great. They're not what I want to be known for."
The risk: Alienating his massive teen fanbase.
The reward: Respect from serious filmmakers.
The Prestige Bet: Playing Elvis (2023)
Priscilla (October 27, 2023)
Director Sofia Coppola cast him as Elvis Presley in Priscilla—a film about Elvis's relationship with Priscilla Presley, told from her perspective.
The challenge:
- Elvis is one of the most iconic figures in American history
- Austin Butler had just won an Oscar nomination for playing Elvis in Elvis (2022)
- The film depicts Elvis as controlling and manipulative
The risk: Playing an icon in a way that shows his dark side.
The Performance
Critics' reaction:
- "Haunting and magnetic"
- "Captures Elvis's charisma and menace"
- "A completely different Elvis than Austin Butler's"
Box office: $32 million (modest, but it was an art film)
Impact on his career:
- Proved he could carry a prestige film
- Showed he could handle complex, iconic roles
- Earned him critical respect
The Viral Moment: Saltburn (2023)
The Bathtub Scene
On November 17, 2023, Amazon released Saltburn—a dark psychological thriller directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman).
His role: Felix Catton, a wealthy, charismatic Oxford student.
The scene that broke the internet: A character (played by Barry Keoghan) drinks his bathwater after he leaves the tub.
The reaction:
- Trended #1 on Twitter/X for 3 days
- TikTok videos: 500+ million views
- Memes: Everywhere
- "The bathtub scene" became THE cultural moment of 2023
The Saltburn Phenomenon
Box office: $60+ million (strong for an indie film)
Cultural impact:
- Debates about class, wealth, and obsession
- Discussions about the film's explicit content
- Turned him into a household name
His reaction: "I didn't expect THAT scene to blow up. But I'm glad people are talking about the film."
The Hollywood Power Move (2024)
Turning Down Marvel and Star Wars
In 2024, reports surfaced that he'd turned down offers for:
- A Marvel role (rumored to be Cyclops in X-Men)
- A Star Wars project
Why? "I don't want to be in a franchise," he said. "I want to choose interesting projects, not safe ones."
The risk: Millions of dollars in guaranteed income.
The statement: "I'm not for sale."
The A24 Partnership
Instead of franchises, he's chosen to work with A24 (the prestige indie studio known for Moonlight, Everything Everywhere All at Once):
Upcoming A24 projects:
- Oh, Canada (2024, directed by Paul Schrader)
- Frankenstein (2025, directed by Guillermo del Toro)
The strategy: Build a career on quality, not quantity.
The Method Acting Controversy (2024)
The Saltburn Preparation
In interviews, he revealed his extreme preparation for Saltburn:
"I studied the British aristocracy. I learned their mannerisms, their speech patterns. I stayed in character for weeks."
The backlash:
- "Method acting is pretentious"
- "He's trying too hard"
- "It's not that deep"
His response: "I take my craft seriously. If that's pretentious, fine. But I'm not going to apologize for caring."
The Personal Life: Kendall Jenner and Privacy
The Kendall Jenner Relationship (2023-2024)
In late 2023, he was spotted with model Kendall Jenner.
Media frenzy:
- Paparazzi photos everywhere
- Tabloid speculation
- Kardashian family drama
His response: "I don't talk about my personal life. My work speaks for itself."
By mid-2024, the relationship had reportedly ended. Neither confirmed nor denied.
The "No Social Media" Strategy
Unlike most young actors, he barely uses social media:
- Rarely posts on Instagram
- No Twitter/X account
- No TikTok
His philosophy: "I don't want my life online. I want people to know me through my work."
The Criticisms: "He's Pretentious"
The Backlash
As his star rose, so did the criticism:
Common complaints:
- "He's too serious"
- "He thinks he's better than rom-coms"
- "He's pretentious about method acting"
- "He dissed The Kissing Booth fans"
His response (2024 interview): "I'm not pretentious. I'm deliberate. There's a difference."
The $20 Million Net Worth Gamble
The Financial Trade-Off
By refusing franchises and rom-coms, he's left millions on the table:
What he could have made:
- Marvel franchise: $50-100 million over 10 years
- Kissing Booth spinoff: $10+ million
- Rom-com deals: $5-10 million per film
What he's made instead:
- Euphoria: ~$500K per episode
- Priscilla: ~$1-2 million
- Saltburn: ~$2-3 million
- Upcoming A24 films: ~$3-5 million each
Current net worth (2024): Estimated $20 million
The trade-off: Respect over riches.
The 2025 Slate: The Vindication
Frankenstein (2025)
Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Frankenstein for Netflix.
His role: Reportedly the Creature (unconfirmed).
Significance: Working with one of cinema's greatest directors.
Oh, Canada (2024)
Paul Schrader's drama (director of Taxi Driver, First Reformed).
His role: Undisclosed.
Significance: Schrader called him "the best actor of his generation."
The Oscar Conversation (2026?)
Industry insiders are predicting:
- Oscar nomination within 3 years
- Leading man status by age 30
The consensus: "He's doing everything right."
What He's Proven
In 6 years (2018-2024), he's shown:
- You can escape typecasting (rom-com to prestige)
- Saying "no" is powerful (turning down franchises)
- Patience pays off (slow career build over quick cash)
- Controversy creates conversation (Saltburn bathtub scene)
- Method acting still matters (dedication to craft)
The Legacy in Progress
From Kissing Booth to Bathtub
2018: The nice guy in a teen rom-com 2019: The abusive villain in Euphoria 2023: Elvis Presley in a Sofia Coppola film 2023: The viral bathtub scene in Saltburn 2025: Working with Guillermo del Toro
The transformation: Complete.
The Actor Herefers to Be
When asked who he wants to be like, he's named:
- Oscar Isaac (diverse roles, prestige projects)
- Christian Bale (method acting, transformations)
- Timothée Chalamet (art films + blockbusters)
The strategy: Build a career like theirs, not like the Kissing Booth.
The Uncomfortable Truth
He's not the most talented actor of his generation.
He's not the most charismatic.
But he might be the smartest.
He understood the trap of teen stardom. He saw the dead end of rom-coms. He calculated his escape.
And it worked.
From Teen Heartthrob to Serious Threat
Jacob Elordi could have been another forgotten teen star.
Another actor trapped in Netflix rom-coms forever.
Another pretty face without substance.
Instead, he chose:
- Dark, disturbing roles over safe ones
- Prestige films over franchises
- Critical respect over massive paychecks
- Long-term career over short-term fame
At 27, he's one of Hollywood's most respected young actors.
And he's just getting started.
From a kissing booth to a bathtub to an Oscar conversation.
That's not luck. That's strategy.
And in Hollywood, strategy beats talent almost every time.
