Jacob Elordi: I practiced my Northern accent in the bath

Ever wondered how an actor from Brisbane, Australia, perfects a Northern accent?

The answer may surprise you.

"I just practice it in the bath, over and over and over and over," said Jacob Elordi, who is starring as Heathcliffe in the hotly anticipated new film Wuthering Heights, set on the tempestuous Yorkshire moors.

"I like the meks and the teks, instead of take. I like the M-E-K, T-E-K," he said, spelling the words out.

Elordi, 28, is starring opposite fellow Aussie actor Margot Robbie in Emerald Fennell's new take on Emily Brontë’s classic novel.

Before the film has even come out, it has sparked some controversy over its casting as well as its apparent BDSM-inspired scenes.

But there's also been a huge build-up for the film, and at the premiere in rainy central London on Thursday night, scores of screaming fans turned out for a glimpse of two of the hottest stars on the planet.

Leicester Square had been decked out to resemble the wilds of Yorkshire, and the red carpet was actually charcoal black, to fit the gothic vibe of the film.

Brat singer Charli XCX was also among the stars braving the drizzle.

The 33-year-old, whose real name is Charlotte Emma Aitchison, has written an album for the upcoming film, with tracks including Chains Of Love, Wall Of Sound and House.

When speaking to BBC News, Charli peered out from under a pale, pink veil which formed part of a striking bridal ensemble. "Sorry, I can barely see you," she admitted.

But when asked how she'd found the transition from the lime green, Brat summer vibe of her award-winning album to the darker themes of this film, she lit up.

"Honestly, [it was] really, really fun. I always like to work in polar opposites. And so this was, honestly, a dream project to me," she said.

"When I first started making music, I was so inspired by so many of the references that Emerald and I were talking about, Shakespeares Sister to The Cure, to obviously Kate Bush," she said (singer-songwriter Bush famously wrote her debut single, Wuthering Heights, as a teenager in the 1970s).

"So yeah, this was really heavenly to work on."

The singer is also starring in the satirical film The Moment, which revisits the cultural phenomenon that followed the release of her 2024 album.

But she indicated that she was very ready to say goodbye to Brat summer. "Yes. Let's put it in the ground. I'm ready."

Barbie star Robbie, who plays Cathy, dazzled fans on Thursday turning up in a striking, corseted Gothic gown with a matching choker.

She also wore a replica of Charlotte Brontë's bracelet. She told BBC News the original was believed to have been woven out of the hair of Charlotte's sisters: Emily and Anne.

The actress, who is also a producer on the new film, is well known for method dressing, having dressed as the famous plastic doll for her press appearances back in 2023.

There has been a lot of interest in the relationship between Robbie and Elordi. The pair seem to have closely bonded while filming, and even have matching signet rings - although some have dismissed their closeness as a marketing stunt.

Elordi even confirmed the reports that he'd left flowers in his co-star's dressing room on Valentine's Day, telling the BBC emphatically: "Yes."

When asked whether it was the Australian connection that brought them closer, Robbie agreed.

"Yeah, it was certainly nice to work with someone who's from somewhere so close to where I'm from," she said.

But she added everyone on set "really bonded on this job".

"I think we were all so excited to be executing [Fennell's] vision, and she really gives you the space to feel safe, but really go for it. And everyone really went for it."

The film is written, directed and produced by Fennell, who won an Oscar for her breakthrough film Promising Young Woman in 2021. Her last feature Saltburn - also starring Elordi - gained viral notoriety for its salacious scenes (including that bathtub scene).

Audience reaction at the test screenings for Wuthering Heights was mixed, with much talk of a shocking opening scene of a public hanging in which the "condemned man ejaculates mid-execution".

But first reactions to the film on social media have been overwhelmingly positive, with film writer Anne Thompson calling it "a rip-roaring, bodice-ripping crowd-pleaser" and critic Courtney Howard saying it "expertly captures the breathtaking ache and essence of desire".

When asked about the provocative nature of the film, Robbie said she thought people "might be a little surprised" by how emotional it actually is.

"I know there's been a lot of talk about it being provocative, but I think it's emotional more than anything. It's very romantic. It's very epic. It's like large scale filmmaking, very cinematic."

Set in the 18th Century, Wuthering Heights is a story of desire, obsession and revenge, following the affair between the wild Catherine Earnshaw and the dashing Heathcliff.

It may be one of the most enduring - and tragic - love stories ever written, but when Robbie and Elordi's casting was announced, many film fans were left unimpressed.

Some pointed out that Catherine is in her teens in the book, unlike Robbie who is 35. Meanwhile Heathcliff is described in the novel, written in 1847, as "dark-skinned", although his ancestry is ambiguous.

But Fennell has previously defended the decision to cast Elordi, telling the Hollywood Reporter that it was her own take on the story.

"The great thing about this movie is that it could be made every year and it would still be so moving and so interesting," she added. "There are so many different takes. I think every year we should have a new one."

The novel has been adapted for the screen numerous times.

The last film came out in 2011 and was made by director Andrea Arnold, starring Skins actress Kaya Scodelario as Catherine and James Howson as Heathcliff.

Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes appeared in a 1992 version.

On TV in 2009, ITV cast Tom Hardy as Heathcliff and Charlotte Riley as his doomed love interest.

The new film also stars Adolescence’s Owen Cooper as a young Heathcliff, as well as Alison Oliver, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Martin Clunes, and Ewan Mitchell in supporting roles.

Wuthering Heights is released in UK cinemas on 13 February.