Kissing Booth star Jacob Elordi has come a long way. He was "practically homeless" before joining the hit show Euphoria. Now, at this point, he's been GQ's 2019 TV Actor Of The Year, the face of Boss the Scent, and a scene-stealer at the 2022 Paris and Milan fashion weeks. The man is everywhere — he recently had his talk show debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with Julie Bowen, followed by an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and a recent controversial visit on The Ellen Show that had fans furious... Here's what happened back there.
What Happened During Jacob Elordi's Interview In 'The Ellen Show'?
During his appearance on The Ellen Show, Elordi was, of course, asked about the nude scenes in Euphoria. "You're naked a lot," said Ellen DeGeneres. "How does that feel… When they write you into the script, do they say, 'Hey, how do you feel about being naked?'" The actor giggled and answered, "You have no choice." Then he went on to confess that he's not a fan of being shirtless onscreen.
"Every scene is like, he sleeps with this person, he does this with this person naked," he continued. "But it's like, it gets to the point. I've done some movies where it's like… [my character] goes to the mall shirtless. And you're like, 'Why?'" DeGeneres replied: "Well because look at you, that's why." Embarrassed, Elordi took a sip of his drink. Then there was a long silence. Aware of the awkwardness, DeGeneres tried to clarify her initial response. "But I just was wondering because, you know, for women, I think they probably would ask a woman [if they] mind being naked on camera," she said.
"I'm just wondering if they ask you, or if you just are surprised when you open the script." It was a good attempt at damage control until she added: "Also, like you said, you're comfortable now 'cause you've done it enough?" to which Elordi simply nodded. Luckily, the Euphoria actor gave a sophisticated explanation about the significance of nudity in his role. "Well I think on Euphoria it comes with the territory of the character," he said. "[Nate is] this ultra, macho, masculine jock. So those guys, I think, tend to get around pretty shirtless, so it's sort of OK."
Why Ellen DeGeneres Faced Backlash After Interview With Jacob Elordi
Fans thought DeGeneres was dismissive of Elordi's sentiments about being objectified. "It's sad because people shouldn't be sexualised like this. He seems uncomfortable," an Instagram user wrote under a clip from the interview. Another netizen added: "I don't love Ellen's objectification :/ felt kind of like 'well what do you expect, you're hot, you'll be objectified' but IDK I could be adding a lot that isn't there." Well, the majority of viewers thought it was really off.
"Ellen's last statement is rather creepy if you change the context," said a commenter. "Hot young [woman] is interviewed by big time tv host and has to talk about their bodies as objects and made to feel like they are being undressed with their eyes." Another fan said: "Wouldn't we be kinda peeved if Ellen was a guy saying 'well look at you, what do you expect' to a woman? That comment made me cringe so much."
Some thought that it shows just why the host has been canceled. "Her interviews get worse and worse. Most hosts learn and do better… I forgot she was still on air," wrote one person. DeGeneres has developed a reputation for awkward interviews which includes a "stupid stunt" that caused a great backlash against Meghan Markle.
Jacob Elordi's Response To The Backlash On Ellen DeGeneres
Fans couldn't help but notice how shy Elordi is, hence the assumption that he was uncomfortable during the interview. "He's literally so cute," said a YouTube commenter. "You can see how nervous he gets, each time he takes a sip from his mug or when he's moving around in his chair." After the backlash, the actor seemingly responded by sharing a photo of him on the show. "I love Ellen," he wrote on his Instagram Story.
We guess it's all good. Elordi got to defend the rationality of his nude scenes, anyway. However, fans think his female co-stars have it worse. "When Jacob Elordi got a concussion and had to go to therapy for playing Nate, he was praised," a fan tweeted. "But when Sydney Sweeney goes to similar lengths in the form of nudity to sell how Cassie uses the male gaze too fill the void her dad left, she's coddled instead of respected?" Fair point. Sweeney has previously defended her risqué scenes but is constantly attacked with threats, saying onscreen nudity would ruin her career.
