Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi on laudable way he responded to ‘gay’ remarks at school
“From the moment I did a play I was called gay at school,” the star tells British GQ
Words: Jamie Tabberer; pictures: HBO/British GQ/Eli Russell Linnetz
Euphoria star Jacob Elordi has reflected on being called gay at school – as well as the amazing way he responded to the speculation.
The Australian actor – who, in a new interview with British GQ, refers to himself as “this hetero guy” – explains that he was called gay after taking part in school plays in his native Australia.
Unlike his Euphoria character Nate (a symbol of toxic masculinity who storms out a school play when it’s inferred he’s gay), the star apparently took the gossip in his stride.
“I started welcoming the femininity”
“From the moment I did a play I was called gay at school,” Jacob told the outlet. “But I had this abundance of confidence in myself because I could do both: I was quite good at sport and I think I was quite good at theatre.
“I felt like I was above it, or it made me feel older. It made me feel wiser. I was never worried that my peers would think I was less than a man. And also, I was doing plays with girls’ schools. I’m spending my weekends with the most beautiful women from the school next door, reading the most romantic words ever written.”
Jacob, who plays the epitome of toxic masculinity Nate in the HBO show, continued: “When they said I was gay, I remember leaning into the makeup,” adding of playing King of the Fairies in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “I was like, if I’m going to be the King of the Fairies, I’m going to be the fucking hottest King of the Fairies you’ve ever seen. […] I started welcoming those kinds of characters. I started welcoming the femininity. I started speaking with my hands. I started really playing the thespian.”
He added: “I stepped away from beer culture and from sport culture and I was like, well, if you think this is gay, I’m going to be who I am when I was your friend, which is this hetero guy, but I’m going to play the arts. I’m going to do it, and I’m going to show you that’s bullshit. I could never understand – how could you label anything, ever? How could you label sport as masculine? How does your sexuality inform your prowess as an athlete, or your prowess as a performer?”
Jacob is also known for roles in Netflix movie Kissing Booth and Deep Water.
The September issue of British GQ is available via digital download and on newsstands on 23 August.