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Why Jacob Elordi was destined to play Elvis Presley in the Priscilla biopic: the Euphoria actor is compared to a ‘90s Brad Pitt’ and once dressed as the King for Halloween with then-GF Kaia Gerber

A fashionable Jacob Elordi on the red carpet for the premiere of Priscilla at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, in Venice, Italy. Photo: WireImage
A fashionable Jacob Elordi on the red carpet for the premiere of Priscilla at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, in Venice, Italy. Photo: WireImage

  • Elordi, the actor from Netflix’s The Kissing Booth, arrived at the Venice International Film Festival this week to promote his role as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Sofia Coppola’s new film Priscilla
  • He’s no stranger to headlines though, rising to fame as a Gen Z heartthrob model dressed by fashion brands such as Fendi, Calvin Klein, Burberry and Celine – and dating Zendaya and Kaia Gerber

Jacob Elordi landed in Italy this week to promote his role as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the upcoming film Priscilla, which just debuted at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.

As the Aussie actor arrived on the red carpet alongside his co-star Cailee Spaeny, director Sofia Coppola and Priscilla Presley, fans went crazy outside the Sala Grande Theatre, with many chanting his name, asking for autographs and taking selfies with the popular star. Variety even referred to his presence as akin to a “90s Brad Pitt” in his earlier days.
Sofia Coppola, Priscilla Presley, Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi at the Priscilla premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, in Venice, Italy. Photo: Getty Images
Sofia Coppola, Priscilla Presley, Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi at the Priscilla premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, in Venice, Italy. Photo: Getty Images
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The Priscilla biopic starring Elordi is directed by Coppola, the daughter of The Godfather legend Francis Ford Coppola. After receiving the green light from the Screen Actors Guild (Sag-Aftra) to promote it during the Hollywood strike, the A24 indie film was a massive success, receiving a seven-minute standing ovation during the premiere, according to Variety.
Australian actor Jacob Elordi attends the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, in March 2022. Photo: AFP
Australian actor Jacob Elordi attends the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, in March 2022. Photo: AFP

So, we know that Spaeny plays the titular role of Priscilla, but what do we know about the Gen Z heartthrob playing Elvis?

Jacob Elordi is from Australia

Jacob Elordi was inspired to act by fellow Aussie Heath Ledger. Photo: @jacobelordi.hd/Instagram
Jacob Elordi was inspired to act by fellow Aussie Heath Ledger. Photo: @jacobelordi.hd/Instagram

Elordi was born in 1997 in Brisbane, Australia. He grew up in the region known for its sunny weather and strong sporting culture, but it was theatre and film that young Elordi was always most interested in, according to British media.

In an interview, his dad shared that when Elordi was 13, he watched Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight and realised that acting was his calling.

Jacob Elordi attends The Launch of Solar Dream hosted by Fendi in February 2020, in New York City. Photo: Getty Images
Jacob Elordi attends The Launch of Solar Dream hosted by Fendi in February 2020, in New York City. Photo: Getty Images

He has three older sisters, and looks up to his parents, calling his dad the “totem of the kind of man that I would like to be” and his mum “the most present, loving, just beautiful, angelic human being on this planet” in an interview with GQ.

He rose to fame with romcoms and Euphoria