Within the first two pages of Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights,” it is made abundantly clear how main character Heathcliff appears in the novel:
“He is a dark-skinned gipsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman.”
As the main male character and love interest to Catherine Earnshaw, Heathcliff was an orphan in Liverpool brought to Wuthering Heights by Mr. Earnshaw, Catherine’s father, and made her “adopted sister.” Through the use of multiple narrators, the novel unfolds the story of Heathcliff and Catherine’s tumultuous relationship as they weave in and out of each other’s lives.
Actor Jacob Elordi, rumored to be playing this role in a new adaptation, is unfit to star not because of talent, personality or lack of sisterly relation to potential co-star Margot Robbie — but because of his race.
In ignorance of the original characters in the novel, director Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman,” “Saltburn”) has cast a pair that will make the film marketable and a ‘must-see’ for fans. But what about fans of the novel itself?
Why can’t the industry cast roles not based on current marketability, but instead on accuracy? It feels as if this movie is meant to be an extension of the Elordi and Robbie movie star streak and less of an adaptation of a classic, beloved novel.
Fans of the novel have taken to social media to express their disdain and outrage towards this new production. Many have “fancasted” actors Dev Patel and Elle Fanning to be the leading characters in the film due to their appearance, nature and age. Others also argue that a main point of contention with Catherine’s family in the novel is Heathcliff’s race, and a white actor should not be the representation of this.
Hollywood is infamous for casting actors and actresses based on their current relevance or popularity — not on whether they fit the role. This isn’t the only time that adaptations were grossly misrepresented just to fill them with A-listers.
Sophia Coppola’s 2017 film “The Beguiled,” is a prime example of neglecting both the origins of a novel and the race of characters starring in them. Originally a novel by Thomas Cullinan, “The Beguiled” features Edwina, a mixed-race woman, who begins to care for an Army corporal during the height of the Civil War. Coppola’s adaptation cast Kirsten Dunst, a white actress, to play the role instead.
The biggest problem with how Hollywood casts is the blatant lack of accuracy and respect for the original text. Instead of creating a film that is true to the book or work it is based on, the industry casts whoever is the most popular at the time. Though it may seem obvious why trending actors are cast, there is no room left for up-and-coming talent to get their big break.
Doesn’t it seem like all of the same actors and actresses are starring in every major film this past year, or even a few years? Clearly, A-list actors are sought after for roles, but how many characters can they play in such a short time?
Even Robbie’s character, Catherine, is an interesting choice given the character’s nature. Especially with the success and fandom of “Barbie,” having Robbie play Catherine, who is a “spoiled and often arrogant” young girl, feels inaccurate and out of place. Catherine is 15-years-old for the majority of the novel, and Robbie is over twice her age, being 34-years-old.
This is not to say that Elordi and Robbie will not succeed in their roles; both are capable and talented actors. The bottom line is that so many other talented people could play the roles of Heathcliff and Catherine like the novel intended. The characters of the novel are described how they are, and this sentiment should remain true in any adaptation.
