Jacob Elordi shares details about queer romance movie On Swift Horses
"It’s a sprawling, epic, non-generic love story" says Elordi
Jacob Elordi has discussed his upcoming period drama On Swift Horses – including building chemistry with his on-screen love interest, Diego Calva.
The gambling-themed, 1950s-set film follows a queer man, Julius (Elordi), and his sister-in-law (played by Normal People star Daisy Edgar-Jones), and their parallel journeys towards freedom.
The film, also starring Will Poulter, is based on the novel of the same name by Shannon Pufahl.
“He’s a real cool customer” – Jason Elordi on Diego Calva
Speaking about the movie in a new interview with Vanity Fair, Euphoria star Elordi said: “It’s a sprawling, epic, non-generic love story – and I think that theme is entirely universal for every single person on the planet.”
On Swift Horses – the official synopsis
On Swift Horses follows newlyweds Muriel and Lee who are beginning a new life when he returns from the Korean War. However, their newfound stability is upended by the arrival of Lee’s charismatic younger brother, Julius, a wayward gambler with a secret. A dangerous love triangle is quickly formed, as the three vow to start a new life together in California, but their bid for the American Dream is blown apart when Julius disappears and heads for Las Vegas instead. Muriel embarks on a secret life of her own, gambling on racehorses and discovering a love she never thought possible.
On working with Calva, Elordi told the publication: “He’s a real cool customer. We had a week of intensive [prep] in the motel room, and Dan [Minahan, the director] gave us a lot of freedom to run around and to play and to find that love within those four walls.”
Elordi, 27, added that he looked to classic movie star Paul Newman as a reference while building his character for the film, which currently has a 64% ‘Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. “I just watched Paul Newman’s movies and tried to build a voice around the way that he spoke, and movement around the way he moved – particularly in Hud, because he has a great sensitivity in his steely output there,” he said.
Revealing he went straight from playing Elvis in the biopic Priscilla into On Swift Horses, Elordi added: “It was helpful because a lot of the prep for that film was historically the same, and the things that Elvis brought into the world were happening parallel to the times of [On Swift Horses]. And I’d spent a lot of time in Vegas as well.”
At present, there is no confirmed UK cinema release date for On Swift Horses.