Margot Robbie takes us behind the scenes of Wuthering Heights

By Violaine Schütz.

Published on 7 November 2025. Updated on 5 February 2026.

Wuthering Heights, a romantic epic starring Jacob Elordi

This is arguably the most desirable casting of the moment. After sharing the screen on a Chanel N°5 campaign, two of the most bankable actors meet again in a film adaptation of the novel Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Brontë. Indeed, Hollywood’s darlings Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) and Margot Robbie (Barbie) are portraying Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshow. A duo that made numerous spectacular red-carpet appearances and gave fiery interviews, suggesting a showmance between the two – a staged, platonic relationship to promote the film.

Starring actors Hong Chau (The Whale), Alison Oliver (Saltburn) and Shazad Latif (What’s love got to do with it, Nautilus), Wuthering Heights is slated for release in February 2026. Besides, singer Charli xcx crafted a few lyrical and baroque songs for the film’s soundtrack.

When Emerald Fennell met Emily Brontë

Another name brings an additional layer of excitement. British actress, writer and Oscar-winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell directed this film adaptation of the cult novel. She worked on the provocative Saltburn, starring Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi, as well as on the brilliant Promising Young Woman (2020) with Carey Mulligan. Once again, the director takes her audience by surprise and makes the headlines. Especially since the themes tackled in the book leave no one indifferent.

Drawing its inspiration from gothic literature, the story takes place in England, in the wild landscapes of Yorkshire. It addresses complicated love, unwavering passion, strong family quarrels and revenge. One reason for the novel’s popularity is its accurate depiction of intense interactions blending with the gloomy scenery – remote moorlands, covered with heather and tested by the wind. Indeed, the name Heathcliff comes from “cliff of the heath”.

An intense role for Margot Robbie

Emily Brontë’s only novel, published in 1847 under a pseudonym and regarded by many as one of the greatest Romantic books of all time, tells the story of Heathcliff, an abandoned child taken in by the Earnshaw family before being abused and eventually becoming violent himself. He falls in love with Catherine, the Earnshaw’s daughter, which triggers the hate of the patriarch. The young woman is in love with him too, but is about to marry a wealthy man. She then decides to leave the house to ease tension. Devastated, Heathcliff leaves as well, but hasn’t said his final word…

Upon its publication, the novel shocked many readers with its transgressive, dark and violent elements. All the more so because they were imagined by a woman. The tormented love between the two protagonists – portrayed on screen by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi – drives Catherine into madness and depression, while Heathcliff spirals into violence and revenge. A series of misfortunes which, when transposed to the screen, offers sparks, drama and truly epic sequences.

“There is something mythical about Cathy and Heathcliff’s story – tragic lovers.” – Margot Robbie

At a press conference held at the Bristol in Paris on February 2nd, 2026, Margot Robbie reflected on Emily Brontë‘s punk and modern side. “Emerald and I talked a lot about the way Emily invested herself in the character of Cathy. Over the years, there have been countless debates about it, which is fascinating. I’m making a strong link between Emily Brontë and Emerald, because I think what she does in cinema is quite radical. It’s clearly bold. And the publication of Emily Brontë’s novel at the time was radical. When I reread it today with a modern eye, I find it hard to believe it was written more than 180 years ago. People were shocked by the book back then. They were shocked that a 27-year-old woman had written it. It suggested that she was thinking about these kinds of things, and perhaps had even lived through some of them. I think it frightened people.”

Emerald Fennell nods in agreement: “Emily Brontë had no interest in moral judgment. That’s what makes her work so difficult… and enduring.” As for the romance between the two protagonists and their ill-fated destiny, the actress believes it could never have ended any other way. “I have the feeling that even if things had happened differently, their story was doomed anyway. The ending would still have been tragic. They would simply have arrived there by another route. I wish it could have been otherwise, but there is something mythical about Cathy and Heathcliff’s story – tragic lovers.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fLCdIYShEQ

The actress and director’s close relationship

As producer of Wuthering Heights, Margot Robbie ultimately slipped into the dramatic dress of the willful, headstrong Catherine. That character deeply fascinates her. The star tells us: “Josey McNamara and I have a production company called LuckyChap. We produced Emerald’s first film, Promising Young Woman, then Saltburn. This is our third collaboration. With the first two, it was always an immense pleasure and honour to be producing a project alongside Emerald. But there was one thing I never got to experience – what she says to actors. I was always on set, watching her lean in and whisper things in their ears. Then, they would do a take, and the next one would be completely different. I would always think, ‘Wow, I wonder what she said to them!’”

She continues: “Our joy, as producers, is being able to spend so much time together even before filming begins, and long after, through the edit process. That was the one thing I’d never had access to with Emerald, and I’d always dreamed of being in that position. I’d always hoped that one day I might be one of her actresses. And when I read what she had done with the character of Cathy, there was something about it that deeply moved me.”

“I genuinely loved that character.” – Margot Robbie

This role as an intense, complex, proud, at times cruel, and madly in love woman always longing for more, could have discouraged the actress. But Margot Robbie was immediately drawn to Catherine’s aura. “I genuinely loved that character. She was quite unlikeable. Yet, the entire film hinges on the empathy the audience ultimately feels for her. I thought Emerald would fully commit to that kind of challenge. Pushing the audience to their limits, testing their patience with this character, then managing to pull them back just enough to spark an emotional response… Many other directors would have probably softened Cathy to make her more relatable. Having worked with Emerald before, I know she doesn’t smooth out rough edges. She keeps them sharp. And that’s far more stimulating for an actress,” she explains.

The actress also shared that she adapted her working method for the role. “I approach my characters differently every time,” she says. “For some roles, I write down dreams, thoughts and memories connected to the character, but with Cathy, being too prepared didn’t feel right. Cathy is impulsive. I focused on the spontaneity of her emotions.”

As for Emerald Fennell, she describes Catherine as follows: “She knows exactly who she is. She’s a star and a monster. She exists outside of time, outside the world.” The director praises the fact that The Wolf of Wall Street actress doesn’t care whether audiences like the character she plays on screen. “Margot doesn’t need the character to be liked. She needs her to be true. That’s why she’s extraordinary,” she adds.

“I had to fully commit to the role and give everything I had.” — Margot Robbie

Respect clearly runs both ways between the two women. The actress trusted the director and her vision completely. “It was simply a matter of having complete trust in Emerald. I had to fully commit to the role, give everything I had, and trust that she would protect the story in the edit, which she did. It was about giving her as much material as possible so that the film could almost be made three times. She did it once by writing it, a second time by directing and shooting it, and a third time in the editing room. I knew that the third version would exist, and I knew she would find the right tone,” Margot Robbie states.

She then adds: “I was already deeply moved by Emerald’s script. Then, once you add the work of the cinematographer, the sets, costumes, hair and makeup, everything naturally falls into place. Once on set and fully inhabiting our characters, the actors’ work becomes easier. But that’s because it was all there already in the script. I think that if reading the screenplay hadn’t affected me so strongly, I wouldn’t have felt the same way watching the end result.”

Breathtaking costumes

To become Catherine, Margot Robbie was able to rely on the remarkable work of costume designer Jacqueline Durran (Barbie, The Batman, Spencer). The latter created spectacular dresses for the actress, using deliberately anachronistic materials like latex. “I think Jacqueline is incredibly talented, and her humility is simply staggering. She’s a completely selfless designer who does everything to serve the story rather than for herself. She uses costume design as a way of telling the story.”

The many shimmering or pastoral ensembles will help make Wuthering Heights an instant cult classic. The film has already been described as the Titanic or Romeo and Juliet of Gen Z. “There are so many costumes in this film,” the Barbie star notes. “From a purely practical point of view, what she and her team achieved is absolutely mind-blowing. It’s also incredibly thoughtful and intentional regarding the narrative. And for us, as actors, being lucky enough to take part in the fittings and to watch her refine the looks with us was pure joy. It’s wonderful. And it all started with Emerald. From our very first conversation, Emerald had tons of references. It was as if she had a very clear idea of what she wanted right from the start.”

Wuthering Heights by Emerald Fennell, coming out in theatres on February 11th, 2026.