Jacob Elordi’s performance as the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is earning critical praise, with the film securing an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The 28-year-old Australian actor endured a 10-hour daily makeup routine involving 42 prosthetic pieces for the role. Elordi recently shared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast how his childhood fascination with monsters, particularly from The Lord of the Rings, informed his portrayal.
After premiering at the Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2025, and completing a limited theatrical run, the film began streaming on Netflix on November 7, 2025.
Jacob Elordi’s Creature Performance Receives High Marks From Critics
Critics have called Elordi’s portrayal the emotional center of del Toro’s film. Rotten Tomatoes’ official consensus states the director gets his most invigorating energy from Jacob Elordi’s standout performance. Multiple reviewers predict awards recognition for the actor, while fans have described his work as masterful and arguably his finest to date.
They praised the way he embodies innocence, fear, and curiosity while maintaining the character’s hulking stature. The transformation required extreme commitment from Elordi, who often arrived on set as early as 10 PM the night before to begin the long makeup application (via Variety).
Lead prosthetics designer Mike Hill, who previously worked with del Toro on The Shape of Water and Nightmare Alley, oversaw the process. del Toro praised the actor’s dedication, stating that Elordi never complained despite working 20-hour days.
Elordi prepared for the role through unconventional methods, including the study of Butoh, a Japanese dance form exploring themes of death and corpse revival. He also practiced Mongolian throat singing to develop the creature’s guttural vocalizations, as per Variety.
The actor read books on child development and observed children to capture an innocent perspective. Elordi explained in an interview that he dedicated significant time to watching his Golden Retriever, whose innocent movements were a major influence (via Forbes).
Jacob Elordi’s Lifelong Lord of the Rings Fascination Prepared Him for Creature
Elordi grew up with a strong interest in fantasy films, particularly Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He recalled that between the ages of 12 and 13, all he wanted to do was see monsters. He believes the combination of fantasy, magic, and practical effects in such films represents a dream for most young actors. He said in a Happy Sad Confused podcast,
I’ll hate that I say this about Frankenstein, but there was a few times where I would walk past a mirror and I thought I looked like a Uruk-hai like from uh you know I just come out of the mud.
He spent his youth buying old copies of Empire magazine to study behind-the-scenes filmmaking details, which prepared him for del Toro’s practical approach. The director built entirely practical sets and refused to use AI or digital shortcuts. At the Venice premiere, del Toro declared that art is urgent and that AI can go “f*ck itself.”
Elordi also credits Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight as his primary acting inspiration. He saw the film at age 11 and felt sick with excitement during the pencil trick scene. Learning Ledger was from Australia, made an acting career feel achievable, and Elordi now describes his Frankenstein role as his own Dark Knight moment (via Happy Sad Confused podcast).
The film represents a career milestone for Elordi, who replaced Andrew Garfield just nine weeks before production began. del Toro said he cast Elordi after watching Saltburn (via Variety), noting he was drawn to the actor’s innocence and very human eyes.
What do you think of Jacob Elordi’s performance as the Creature? Share your thoughts on Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein below.
Frankenstein is now available for streaming on Netflix.
