Jacob Elordi goes all literal with his Wuthering Heights sideburns

Jacob Elordi is best known for his 6"5 height, tousled hair and acting chops. But, now the Saltburn actor is adding something else to his roster of things to talk about: a perfect pair of mutton chops. At the 75th Berlin International Film Festival this week, where he was attending a screening of The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Elordi debuted a new look: follucular-heavy sideburns that would make Elvis or 90210's Luke Perry green with envy. His curling hair, meanwhile, was grown out and almost shoulder length.

It's a bold move away from how we're used to seeing with Elordi. Aside from the odd red carpet appearance with a bushy beard, he's usually repping a clean shaven face with a perfect quaff of hair.

Now, his new look is supposedly for his upcoming role as the lead in Wuthering Heights. Penned for release in February 2026, Elordi will play Heathcliff in Emerald Fennel's film adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 epic, which will also star Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw. Heathcliff, as any literary head will know, is the archetypal anti-hero in English literature. Famed for his complicated anger, Heathcliff was also characterised by his mega burns, as seen on previous portrayals from the likes of Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton and Timothy Dalton.

General Ambrose Burnside, a graduate of the United States Military Academy who held a commission in the U.S. Army until 1853, is the guy to thank for the name that lends itself to the wispy, often untameable strokes of hair next to the ears. Prior to World War I, several branches of the armed forces allowed facial hair and Burnside ran free with his own: a bushy moustache and unruly sideburns. Sideburns became popular in the 60s, thanks to iconic looks from Elvis Presley and The Beatles, but they continued to evolve with styles like the thick chops of the ‘70s and the subtle, tapered burns in the 90s and 2000s," explains Luke Davies the co-founder of barbershop Supply 91.

But you don't need to be cosplaying as Heathcliff, Burnside or Paul McCartney to give them a go. "Sideburns can be a game-changer, helping frame the face, especially for those with rounder or softer features," Davies told Gentleman's Journal. "They also add a bit of retro flair. Sideburns make beards and moustaches look more intentional and polished rather than disconnected. Whether you go for a subtle taper or a dramatic statement, they can complement a variety of haircuts, elevating a look, adding personality."

But, unlike Burnside and Elordi, Davies explains that sideburns can be styled out to give you a cooler edge. "I think the best way to style sideburns is to keep them in proportion to your haircut," he says. "Shaggy or textured styles like mullets, and mod cuts pair well with fuller sideburns, while cleaner cuts and fades suit a tapered or faded look. Regular grooming is essential to prevent them from looking unkempt and messy. Also, defining their shape can actually compliment your face shape."

Ready to go full Elordi? Be as bold with your grooming, king.

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