There’s something undeniably poetic about two Queensland kids coming home with a windswept romance in tow.
After months of globe-trotting premieres, red carpets and breathless international press stops, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi quietly returned to where it all began, surprising Valentine’s Day audiences with unannounced appearances at multiple Brisbane screenings of “Wuthering Heights”. And in doing so, they gently – and stylishly – put to rest any lingering chatter about the film’s Queensland connection being overlooked.
The romantic epic, directed by Emerald Fennell, has been one of the year’s most talked-about literary adaptations – a sweeping, feverish reimagining of Emily Brontë’s classic that’s divided, dazzled and dominated headlines in equal measure (you can read our review here). Its Australian premiere was held in Sydney, prompting some online murmurs about why the state that produced both of its stars didn’t get first honours.
But on Valentine’s Day, that narrative shifted.
Robbie – a proud Gold Coast native – and Brisbane’s own Elordi made surprise appearances at cinemas across the city, including Palace Cinemas’ James St location, Five Star Cinemas Red Hill, and Event Cinemas Chermside. The stops weren’t splashy or pre-announced. There was no red carpet rolled down James Street. Instead, there was something far more personal: packed theatres, stunned audiences, and two stars stepping in front of the screen to say thank you.
In a move straight out of Heathcliff’s playbook – albeit significantly less brooding – audience members received a single-stem red rose, transforming an ordinary cinema visit into a Valentine’s Day memory they won’t soon forget.
The gesture was simple, but symbolic. After a whirlwind international campaign that saw the pair promoting the film across Europe and the United States, this felt like a deliberate grounding. No flashbulb frenzy. No industry exclusivity. Just hometown cinemas and the communities that first championed them.
Elordi, who has frequently spoken about his Brisbane upbringing in interviews abroad (he even mentioned that Chermside was his local cinema haunt), appeared visibly at ease introducing the film on home turf. And Robbie, whose global producing and acting career has taken her far beyond Queensland, seemed equally delighted to reconnect with local audiences – the kind who likely remember when she was still a Neighbours breakout rather than a Hollywood powerhouse.
It was less about spectacle and more about sincerity.
And perhaps that feels fitting for “Wuthering Heights” – a story rooted in longing, home, and the emotional pull of place. For Robbie and Elordi, returning to Queensland after carrying the film across the world wasn’t just good PR. It was a reminder that no matter how far Heathcliff and Cathy’s storm may rage internationally, the foundations are still here.
On Valentine’s Day, Brisbane didn’t just watch “Wuthering Heights”. It welcomed its stars home.
“Wuthering Heights” is now screening in Australian theatres.
