Wuthering Heights’ Shocking Dog Collar Scene Explained By Jacob Elordi & Alison Oliver

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Jacob Elordi and Alison Oliver recently shared their take on a particularly unsettling scene from the new adaptation of Wuthering Heights.

Emerald Fennell’s take on Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights tells the story of Cathy and Heathcliff, who were childhood sweethearts but are torn apart when Cathy decides to marry the rich Edgar Linton. In a cruel act of revenge, Heathcliff then marries Edgar’s adopted daughter, Isabella.

Heathcliff’s intense love for Cathy made his marriage to Isabella destined to fail. Later in the film, the housekeeper Nelly Dean (Hong Chau) finds Wuthering Heights in complete disarray when she visits Isabella and Heathcliff. She discovers Isabella chained to the fireplace, forced to wear a dog collar. Actor Jacob Elordi jokingly described the scene as “so much fun” in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

Dogs appear repeatedly throughout Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, often as symbols of aggression, and Heathcliff even kills Isabella’s dog. Actor Jacob Elordi explained, “I believe Emerald [Fennell, the director] used the violent dog scenes—and the darker elements of the novel in general—to inform this particular moment.” He added that Isabella and Heathcliff’s relationship is deeply troubled and destructive, describing their lives together as a kind of living nightmare.

Ultimately, Heathcliff is deeply unhappy because he’s separated from Cathy, and his attempts to win her over are failing. As actor Jacob Elordi explains, this is when Heathcliff’s obsession transforms into a frantic, desperate state, causing him to lose control. He realizes his efforts aren’t working, and the game is over – meaning they must finally confront their reality.

Oliver explained Isabella’s emotional state, noting that because she’s kept her feelings hidden for so long and has been treated like a child, her reactions are often chaotic and unpredictable. He also described her as being in a completely unfamiliar environment, and much of her behavior stems from trying to navigate this new and confusing situation.

Both Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan appeared in Emerald Fennell’s previous film, Saltburn. Several critics have specifically praised Keoghan’s performance in the new film, Wuthering Heights. In a largely critical review for ScreenRant, Gregory Nussen stated that Keoghan “is the film’s clear winner, as the only actor that seems perfectly suited to Fennell’s unique style.”

I was really surprised by how the new Wuthering Heights movie from 2026 portrayed Isabella’s relationship with Heathcliff. It seemed to suggest she was almost enjoying the dynamic, which is a big change from the book. A critic at The Guardian pointed out that the director, Fennell, kind of downplayed how awful Heathcliff was to her, making Isabella look like she was willingly participating in the abuse. Of course, in the original story, Isabella eventually escapes the terrible marriage and has a son, so it’s a pretty significant difference.

In the novel, Isabella is Edgar’s sister, but the movie portrays her as his ward. This adaptation of Wuthering Heights significantly deviates from the original story, and Emerald Fennell offers a new take on Isabella and her struggles within her marriage to Heathcliff. Despite the changes, the story remains intense and full of unexpected twists until its conclusion.

Wuthering Heights is now in theaters.

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2026-02-16 19:00