“We don’t mind if you scream.”
Writer-director Emerald Fennell gave the audience permission to go wild at the world premiere for “Wuthering Heights,” her reimagining of the Emily Brontë classic, on Wednesday night. (And yes, the square quotes are technically part of the title.) It’s a good thing she did; there was plenty of hollering as Fennell’s steamy Gothic tale of passion and obsession unfolded.
Stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, who play Catherine and Heathcliff, charmed the crowd at the premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood from the minute they stepped onstage. Robbie, wearing Elizabeth Taylor’s famed Taj Mahal Diamond around her neck, had a bit of trouble walking in her dramatic custom Schiaparelli gown, which featured a lace-covered bodice and voluminous black-and-red skirt. Luckily, newly minted Oscar nominee Elordi was happy to hold her hand and walk her across the stage.
Robbie took Elordi’s hand to walk across the stage at the TCL Chinese theater in her show-stopping dress.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Alison Oliver, Hong Chau, and Shazad Latif, who all have juicy supporting roles in the film, also attended the premiere along with Charli xcx. The pop star, fresh off the Sundance Film Festival—where she had three films premiere—created the moody, sexy soundtrack for the film, which she’ll release on Feb. 13. Among the guests were Robbie’s good friend Cara Delevine, along with actors Megan Stalter, Kathryn Newton, Kate Berlant, and comedian Atsuko Okatsuka. Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, Pamela Abdy, and Michael De Luca, riding high off the studio earning 30 Oscar nominations just last week, also were in attendance.
Warner Bros. was surely doing its best to make the premiere feel like an event, dressing up the blood red carpet with whimsical garden swings (a reference to a scene in the film) and fake foliage. Though most Hollywood premieres have a more casual feel to them, guests were encouraged to follow a “Hollywood Black Tie” dress code, complete with an inspiration board that was attached to the invite. Most guests followed instructions, donning their gothic best—but we did spot a few daring to wear jeans or khakis, garments that would have put them sorely out of place in the world of Healthcliff and Catherine.
Fennell, whose previous films include Saltburn and Promising Young Woman, couldn’t help but reveal her nerves as she took the stage to greet the audience and introduce her third directorial effort to the world. “Excuse me if I throw up—I hope I won’t,” she said. But she was able to pull herself together enough to emphasize her devotion to “theatrical experiences” and thank her cast, who joined her onstage. Robbie, who is also a producer on the film, seconded Fennell’s call for the audience to act out their emotions while they watched. “Make lots of noise. Enjoy it!” she said before heading to her seat.
