Jacob Elordi has come under fire after paparazzi photos showed him driving a car, despite withdrawing from the Cannes Film Festival jury due to a foot injury. The 28-year-old Australian actor, known for roles in Saltburn and Euphoria, had been set to serve on the competition jury under president Park Chan-wook at the 2026 festival.
Days before the festival began on May 12, Elordi reportedly broke his foot, forcing him to step down from the demanding role. Jurors are required to attend numerous film screenings, press events, and photo calls, as well as repeatedly climb the iconic Palais staircase. The Oscar-nominated star of Frankenstein cited his injury as the reason for his withdrawal.
However, gossip Instagram account Deuxmoi published images of Elordi driving a car carrying Timothée Chalamet, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner. This sparked criticism online, with one user on X writing: 'How do you turn down the chance to be one of the youngest ever Cannes jury members, due to a foot injury, only to be seen being the DRIVER in a car with 3 other passengers?' Another noted that actor Stellan Skarsgård, who suffered a stroke in 2022, still attended the festival, saying: 'And mind you, Skarsgard had a stroke and still went.'
Some defended Elordi, arguing that driving with a broken foot is possible, while others pointed out the lack of accessible options at Cannes. One commenter stated: 'The stairs at Cannes are no joke. There are no ramps & no accessible options available,' suggesting the injury could have worsened by attending. Another quipped: 'It's called work life balance. He deserves a break too.'
Had Elordi served on the jury, he would have been among the youngest in Cannes history, alongside Elle Fanning, who holds the record at age 21 in 2019. The jury also included Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, and Ruth Negga, among others.
