Gather ’round, because we’ve got some juicy tidbits to share about Jacob Elordi and Diego Calva’s latest film that’s lighting up the screens and setting our queer hearts aflutter.
Their upcoming movie On Swift Horses premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) earlier this month, and let’s just say… this isn’t The Kissing Booth Jacob Elordi anymore.
Oh no, babes, this is next-level sexy, raw, and unapologetically queer.
Set in the 1950s, the film is an adaptation of Shannon Pufahl’s novel and centers on a blossoming, secretive romance between Julius (played by Elordi) and Henry (Calva).
Julius, a Las Vegas casino worker, meets Henry, a hustler with an agenda, and the two are drawn into an intense, passionate love affair.
Of course, given the era, this means plenty of sneaking around and living on the edge – the perfect breeding ground for some steamy on-screen chemistry.
And steamy it will be. Vanity Fair recently dropped a bombshell about how Elordi and Calva prepped for the film.
According to Elordi, the two holed up in a motel room for a full week of “intensive prep.”
Now, if you’re already clutching your pearls, thinking about the heat they must have generated in that cramped little room, same.
“Dan [Minahan, the director] gave us a lot of freedom to run around and to play and to find that love within those four walls,” Jacob explained to Vanity Fair.
Just imagining these two hunky actors discovering their characters’ love for each other in a dimly lit, old-school motel, makes us feel like we’re right there with them, sipping rosé and waiting for the magic to unfold.
+Related: Jacob Elordi & Diego Calva in Hot Queer Love Tale
But really, On Swift Horses isn’t just about the physical chemistry (though, yes, we’re very excited for those “explicit love scenes” Vanity Fair hinted at).
It’s a film that digs deep into what it was like to be queer in the 1950s, a time when many LGBTQ+ people were forced to live in the shadows.
As Elordi put it, this is a “sprawling, epic, nongeneric love story,” one that taps into universal themes of love, fear, and self-acceptance.
Director Daniel Minahan – who’s given us LGBTQ+ gems like Halston and Fellow Travelers – is behind the camera, making sure this love story gets told with the tenderness and nuance it deserves.
Minahan’s work is always a deep dive into identity, often blurring the lines between truth and fiction.
And honey, if there’s anyone who knows how to bring out the gay drama and the gay glamour, it’s him.
There’s no denying that Elordi and Calva’s sizzling chemistry is going to be the talk of the town, especially with reviews already praising how the film portrays queerness in a time when being openly gay could have dire consequences.
The movie not only provides those much-needed sexy moments but also focuses on the terror of being seen and the thrill of trying to live authentically.
Daisy Edgar-Jones, who plays the film’s leading lady, Muriel, has been quick to describe On Swift Horses as a “wonderfully queer” experience – a bold, fresh take on the period piece, and we are so ready for it.
If you’re not already sold (but, let’s be real, you probably are), Jacob Elordi assures us that this isn’t just another cookie-cutter love story. It’s one for the ages, and it hits right where it matters.
The characters may be trapped in their circumstances, but the love they share transcends time, fear, and society’s expectations.
The film’s been met with glowing reviews, and if early buzz is anything to go by, it’s set to be a hit once it gets its wider release (mark your calendars!).
So, grab your popcorn and your besties because On Swift Horses is galloping straight into our hearts—and it’s bringing a sexy, queer romance for the ages with it.
Let’s just say, we’ll be first in line, ready to ride.
