Jacob Elordi has opened up about the actor who inspired his Hollywood journey to an Oscar nomination for his role in Frankenstein.
Elordi shared that Heath Ledger played a big role in shaping his dreams and called the nomination especially meaningful because of the late Dark Knight star.
Appears on Jimmy Kimmel live after the 2026 Oscar nominations were announced, Euphoria actor shared how Ledger made him believe how hard work can achieve anything.
He admitted that while actors are often told that fame is subjective, this nomination felt like a personal milestone.
The timing made it even more meaningful, however, as Elordi was nominated on January 22, exactly 18 years after Ledger died at age 28.
He went on to add that he remembered starting his career thinking that success would take much longer, and now at the same age as Ledger died, he reached one of his biggest milestones.
“I want to take this to say thank you to Heath Ledger. It really, really means the world to me,” he added.
Ledger, who won a posthumous Oscar for The Dark Knightis often seen as an inspiration for young actors.
People have noticed similarities between Elordi and Ledger, as both gained major recognition before turning 30 and played roles that needed major changes in appearance and acting.
In addition, Jacob Elordi competes in the supporting actor category with Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, Delroy Lindo and Stellan Skarsgård.
The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15, 2026.
