Jacob Elordi keeps popping up in unexpected places. If you know him from The Kissing Booth or Saltburn, here are two ends of the spectrum you might not have clocked: he once snuck into a Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and now he is picking up awards for playing Frankenstein's monster. Range.
The blink-and-you-missed-it Pirates cameo
Before the Euphoria fame, Elordi did a quick, uncredited turn as an unnamed British Redcoat in the fifth Pirates film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). It is literally a blink-and-it’s-gone moment, but yes, that is him in there alongside Johnny Depp.
The movie itself was directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, and stacked with familiar faces: Oscar-winner Javier Bardem as the main villain, plus Kaya Scodelario, Kevin McNally, and Geoffrey Rush. Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films backed it, it hit theaters on May 26, 2017, and the reception was split: 6.5/10 on IMDb, 30% Tomatometer and 60% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. If you feel like hunting for Elordi’s cameo, the film is streaming on Disney+.
From background Redcoat to Critics' Choice winner
Cut to now: Elordi just won Best Supporting Actor at the 2026 Critics' Choice Awards for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. This is the Netflix take on the classic, and it turned into Elordi’s first major acting trophy. He plays the Monster opposite Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, which is one of those casting choices that just makes sense once you see it.
The category was packed. He edged out a lineup that included:
- Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn for Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another
- Paul Mescal for Hamnet
- Adam Sandler for Jay Kelly
- Stellan Skarsgard for Sentimental Value
It is a serious group, and the Saltburn star taking it says a lot about how strongly this performance landed.
Next up: Wuthering Heights, but not the version you’re expecting
Elordi’s next big swing pairs him with Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights, a gothic psychological drama loosely inspired by Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel. This isn’t a standard period romance. The film goes contemporary in its approach and breaks the story into three parts instead of the usual two, playing with structure in a way that pushes the key reckonings later, more in line with classical tragedy pacing.
"A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw."
Elordi is Heathcliff; Robbie is Catherine Earnshaw. Circle February 13, 2026 for the release.
Quick catch-up
If you want to trace the arc: uncredited Redcoat in Pirates 5, now an awards winner for del Toro’s Frankenstein, and heading into a bold Wuthering Heights with Margot Robbie. Not a bad run.