Jacob Elordi 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 making his dreams come true, calling the nomination particularly meaningful because of the late Dark Knight star.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel live after the announcement of the nominations for the 2026 Oscars, the Euphoria The actor explained how Ledger made him believe that you could achieve anything with hard work.
He admitted that although actors are often told that fame is subjective, this nomination seemed like a personal milestone.
However, the timing made it even more significant as Elordi was appointed on January 22, exactly 18 years after Ledger died at age 28.
He added that he remembers starting his career thinking that success would take much longer and now, at the same age that Ledger died, he has reached one of his biggest milestones.
“I would like to take this opportunity 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 Black Knightis often considered a source of inspiration for young actors.
People have noticed similarities between Elordi and Ledger, since both achieved great recognition before turning 30 and played roles that required big changes in appearance and acting.
Additionally, Jacob Elordi is competing 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.
