Do Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac Secretly Hate Each Other? A Tense Interview Fuels Speculation

A Variety interview for Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ has fans; myself included dissecting Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi’s tense body language.

Something felt… off in Variety’s recent joint interview with Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi. Promoting Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited ‘Frankenstein,’ the pair sat side by side — but instead of easy chemistry, viewers noticed deliberate distance. Edited almost entirely in close-ups, the conversation avoided wide two-shots, a curious choice for Variety junket footage. The effect only amplified what fans already suspected: these two stars may not be seeing eye-to-eye.

There’s no headline about a feud between Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi—and none is warranted, because there isn’t one. But watching the Variety interview “Jacob and Oscar on bringing Guillermo del Toro‘s Frankenstein to life,” released yesterday, sparks curiosity in a different way: their body language registers as cold, occasionally awkward, and decisively unenthusiastic. It’s subtle—It’s Subtle—Jacob Turning Away Or Legitametly Rolling His Eyes During Isaac’s Responses, Both Waiting for Their Independent Cues to Speak Not As Really As Co-Stars Despite Seated Next to One Another in a Shared Interview, Discussing the Intimate and Inventive Ways Del Toro’s Sets Operate. The Editing Choices Speak Volumes As Well, Further Amplifying the Awkwardness Which Must’ve Been Clear to the Editor Who Framed the Interview Mostly in Close-Ups, Spotlighting Each Actor Alone Even When They’re in Conversation Together.

It Was Has Been Public Perception That The Two Stars Were Friendly, Each Publicly Stating Their Mutual  Respect For One Another, But Solely Based On This Encounter, They Seem At Best Stand-Offish, Disinterested Or Simply Cautious— Perhaps This Is Something To Do With Awards Consideration, Possibly Ending Up In The Same Categories If The Film Plays Well With Academy Voters And Critics Alike. Regardless, There’s Plenty Left Unsaid, And That Ambiguity Is Its Own Story.

The timing adds layers. Isaac, embodying Dr. Frankenstein, and Elordi, cast as the creature, were promoting Guillermo del Toro’s long-anticipated take on Mary Shelley’s classic—now heralded as an emotionally complex reinvention (premiering at Venice on August 30, Then at TIFF— followed by a limited theatrical run in October, then Netflix in November)  . While no reports have hinted at off-screen tension, there’s a psychological logic to their dynamic: creator and creature, facing each other not as collaborators but as adversarial reflections, each battling for narrative control even in shared space. Whether intentional or coincidental, their interaction—or lack of warmth—echoes del Toro’s themes of creation, rejection, intimacy, and betrayal.

Importantly, the editing style of this Variety segment plays a role in shaping perception. Like many red-carpet or press-junket pieces, it relies on quick cuts and isolated close-ups to maintain energy—but here, those edits highlight missed glances and conversational lag, offering a window into unsaid dynamics. There’s an expectation in these interviews—to appear gracious, aligned, supportive—but the visuals contrast that. It feeds speculation, not as gossip, but as a form of visual storytelling that raises questions: was it nerves, distancing, creative tension, or simply nuanced professionalism? Without further evidence, it’s shorthand for mystery, not conflict.

That swirl of uncertainty fits the new Frankenstein film’s DNA: Guillermo del Toro has framed this adaptation not merely as horror, but as a meditation on emotional truth, grief, and fractured identities—focusing on familial bonds and forgiveness rather than the spectacle of creation  . The fractured dynamic between Isaac and Elordi in the interview could be an unintentional yet theatrical echo of that emotional tension, spilling from character into circumstance. The creature is a fragile marble, rebuilt, forgiven—or not. The creator is a man split apart by obsession and alienation. Maybe what audiences caught glimpses of wasn’t discord, but closer to the emotional impulses that fuel the film.

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Sure, it’s speculative. And speculation based solely on body language is a minefield. But art thrives on unsaid things—whether they’re scripted or spontaneous. These offhand moments don’t spell drama, but they offer texture. They invite curiosity. If anything, this interview suggests there’s more subtle narrative at work—emotion under the surface, parts of an unseen backstory. In a story about creation and abandonment, where del Toro twice references mythic sacrifice and paternal disintegration, these glimpses—two actors brought together but not entirely together—are strangely poignant.

Whatever chemistry (or its absence) exists, it’s likely rooted in respect, reticence, or pure professionalism—nothing more scandalous than two actors navigating a high-profile moment. But it’s also an opportunity: a whisper of tension that mirrors the film’s themes. A reminder that sometimes what’s not said—and not shown—carries the most weight.

And with the world premiere at Venice on August 30 and then the TIFF North American premiere set for September 9, the speculation only heightens. All eyes will be on how Isaac and Elordi Interact On The Remainder Of This Press Tour As Well As Massive Festival, Centerpieces As They Walk The Red Carpet Together. Will they present a united front, Or Will Subtle Cues Once Again Fuel Whispers Of Friction Between Frankenstein And His Monster? Either way, the tension — real or imagined — is already one of TIFF’s juiciest side plots.

Watch The Interview Below, You Be the judge: