Elordi’s dramatic acting skills shined in Euphoria as troubled high school quarterback Nate, “a case study in American teenage toxic masculinity,” according to W. The role was a marked departure from that of Noah Flynn in The Kissing Booth. In an interview with the fashion magazine, Elordi described his character as “an emotional terrorist, a narcissist, a sociopath, a freak.” But, he admitted that the casting process was “so much fun.”

Elordi also told The Hollywood Reporter that working on the series was “demanding.” “I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired or confused,” he added. With physically intense scenes like the one of Nate having a meltdown on his bedroom floor after confronting his father, it’s not hard to see why the actor would say that. It’s clear the work Elordi’s put into his Euphoria role has paid off for the series, which has earned nine Emmy nominations and three Emmy wins.

Each episode of the TV series Acting for a Cause showcases a group of young Hollywood actors performing in staged live readings for charity. The show was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many accomplished thespians like Tommy Dorfman (13 Reasons Why), Florence Pugh (Black Widow), and Zazie Beetz (Joker) have taken part in the show. For his turn, Elordi portrayed “the proudest, most conceited man in the world” Mr. Darcy in a cast reading of Pride and Prejudice, alongside Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) and Katherine McNamara (Shadowhunters).

Released in 2020, 2 Hearts is based on a true story. Elordi stars in the tearjerker as Chris, a college student whose life connects with a wealthy Cuban exile named Jorge in a profound way. Romance also plays a central part in the film, as Elordi’s character navigates his romantic feelings towards Sam (played by Tiera Skovbye).

2 Hearts director Lance Hool told Deadline that he selected Elordi through an open audition prior to the actor filming The Kissing Booth. “I had an eye for him before they did,” boasted Hool, “They [Netflix] were the first out, but we’re the first theatrical to bring him out.”

The Kissing Booth thrust Elordi and his character, Noah Flynn, into mainstream pop culture. But The Kissing Booth 2 gave audiences a chance to peer deeper into Flynn’s psyche and his relationship with girlfriend Elle Evans, portrayed by Joey King. (King and Elordi dated while filming The Kissing Booth but split in 2018 before working together for the sequels.)

Funny enough, Elordi confessed to Access Hollywood that he “winged it” filming The Kissing Booth 2 after working on the set of Euphoria, but that was due to exhaustion. He also assured during the interview that reuniting with his Kissing Booth 2 castmates was “great” and that contrary to observations stated on Twitter, he was not miserable working with King or the overall experience. “I have a resting miserable face,” he confirmed.

The Mortuary Collection was Elordi’s next movie project following The Kissing Booth. The sinister stories presented in the 2019 horror anthology are told by a peculiar mortician, with Elordi playing the role of “charming, regular” Jake.

In a behind-the-scenes clip about the film, director Jake Spindell revealed that the first audition tape he got was Elordi’s, and there was no question about how perfect he was for the role. “He just crushed it,” said Spindell, “I just was like, ‘I cannot imagine anybody else doing it.’ I could tell the first day working with him that he was going to be a superstar.”

The Mortuary Collection accumulated a number of nominations and wins, such as the esteemed Fantasia Film Festival Audience Award. Elordi was also nominated for FilmQuest’s Best Supporting Actor award, so it looks like there’s even more reason to view the petrifying flick.