A war (and romantic) drama for one of the most popular actors

BarcelonaFor several years now, Australian Jacob Elordi has lived with the label of being one of the young actors of the moment. His metaphorical rise began with a Netflix teen saga, The kissing booth, which propelled him as a teen idol, and was consolidated with Euphoria (HBO Max). Since then, he's built a career that seeks to stray from the beaten path and has opted for cinema with an auteur stamp—he's made films with Sofia Coppola and Emerald Fennell. Now, Elordi surprises by returning to his native country with a miniseries that is an intense war drama. The narrow path, which premieres this Wednesday on Movistar Plus+, plays Dorrigo Evans, an Australian army doctor who, during World War II, is captured by the Japanese and forced to work on the construction of the railway between Thailand and Burma.

The narrow path, based on the novel Robert Flanagan wrote inspired by his father's experiences, plays with different time frames. On the one hand, we see the suffering of Evans and his fellow comrades at the hands of the Japanese. The other major thread is the protagonist's memories of his love affair with his uncle's young wife, Amy (Odessa Young), whom he met just before going to war. Finally, it also shows the protagonist's life years after the war, when he is an older man and a renowned doctor (at this stage the character is played by Ciarán Hinds).

Elordi says that one of the attractions of playing Evans is his obvious life contradictions, since, despite being a war hero, he is a person with numerous flaws. "The greatest expression of humanity you'll find in people probably lies in their contradictions. This is what makes people human—the light and the dark. [Dorrigo] wouldn't be a real person if he didn't have this. If he was just this great hero who saved all these people, then he would be a flawed character—because there's also something quite sweetened about him. Dorrigo's duality is what makes him surprisingly human. It's the most honest way of being," the actor explained in an interview. The Hollywood Reporter.

A story of war, but also of love

The director of the miniseries, Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel, says that, above all, The narrow path It's a love story. For him, Dorrigo and Amy's relationship is the true heart of the story. "I always thought the book was unique because it looked at the war, its horrors, and Dorrigo's experience through the prism of a love story. And this love story is quite unique in that it takes place over a short period of six weeks. It's a summer love that grows and stays within the time in the countryside, especially," he said. The Hollywood Reporter.

Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel is one of Australia's favorite books. "It's incredibly Australian about togetherness and love. It shows our country in a wonderful way, and I think it exemplifies our essence," says the actor.