Margot Robbie is opening up about how she and Jacob Elordi approached the emotional and physical intensity of their roles in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights, which arrives in theaters Feb. 13. In a recent interview with E! News, Robbie offered insight into how the pair brought Emily Brontë’s famously volatile lovers, Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, to life—particularly when it came to the story’s intimate moments.

While audiences may expect passion-filled scenes between the two stars, Robbie explained that filming those sequences was far more methodical than it may appear on screen. According to the actress, scenes involving physical closeness typically require detailed planning and coordination. Rather than being swept up in emotion, such moments are often carefully choreographed to ensure everything unfolds as intended. Robbie noted that the heightened feelings audiences associate with romance frequently emerge in other types of scenes.

In fact, she suggested that the film’s argument sequences were where the emotional temperature truly rose. Without the need for strict physical staging, those confrontational exchanges allowed the actors to immerse themselves more freely in their characters’ turmoil. Robbie described those scenes as moments when the cast could genuinely build energy together, creating an atmosphere that felt raw and immediate.

To capture Catherine’s dramatic and often overwhelming emotional state, Robbie looked inward—specifically to her teenage years. Reflecting on that period of her life, she described herself as deeply sensitive and intensely passionate, someone who experienced every high and low with amplified feeling. She admitted that adolescence often feels like a time when even small events carry enormous weight. That mindset, she said, helped her tap into Catherine’s extreme devotion and heartbreak. Over time, Robbie acknowledged, people tend to develop emotional safeguards, but Catherine exists in a space where everything feels monumental.

The film also stars Alison Oliver as Isabella Linton, Catherine’s romantic rival. Oliver similarly found inspiration in her own youth while shaping her performance. She shared that Isabella’s fixation on Heathcliff reminded her of the all-consuming crushes many experience in their teenage years. Oliver even joked about her former admiration for musician Ed Sheeran, recalling how deeply she once identified with his music and songwriting.

Emerald Fennell’s take on Wuthering Heights revisits one of literature’s most enduring and turbulent love stories, centering on the destructive bond between Catherine and Heathcliff. First published in 1847, Brontë’s novel has long been known for its exploration of obsession, class conflict, and emotional extremes. The new film aims to preserve that intensity while offering a fresh cinematic perspective.

As the press tour continues, Robbie and her co-stars have emphasized the emotional complexity of their characters rather than focusing solely on the romance. By drawing from their own formative experiences, the actors sought to portray a relationship defined as much by volatility and longing as by love.

With its mix of sweeping drama and psychological depth, Wuthering Heights promises to deliver a modern retelling of a classic tale when it premieres Feb. 13.