Is Wuthering Heights woke?
Movie · 2026
Wuthering Heights has a wokeness score of 4/10, which we rate as Light Social Awareness. Some light diversity or inclusion elements that feel natural and organic. Woke themes are subtle, non-intrusive, and fully integrated into the story without drawing attention to themselves.
Key points
- Jacob Elordi's white casting as dark-skinned Heathcliff sparks whitewashing accusations, erasing racial otherness.
- Actors of color in white supporting roles like Nelly Dean and Edgar Linton seen as tokenistic diversity.
- Mild modern sensibilities via feminist Cathy and erotic romance, without overt indoctrination or preaching.
Wokeness analysis
Emerald Fennell's 2026 adaptation of Wuthering Heights exhibits mild modern sensibilities through light diversity elements that feel somewhat organic but draw attention due to controversies surrounding casting and thematic alterations. The film casts white Australian actor Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, a character described in Emily Brontë's novel as 'dark-skinned gypsy' or potentially of mixed-race origins tied to the slave trade era in Liverpool, sparking widespread accusations of whitewashing from progressive critics and fans demanding racial representation. This decision erases the book's racial otherness, shifting focus to class and sexuality, which some conservative reviewers praise as avoiding forced racial politics. However, Fennell includes actors of color in supporting roles—Hong Chau (Vietnamese-American) as Nelly Dean and Shazad Latif (Pakistani-British) as Edgar Linton—characters unambiguously white in the novel, perceived by detractors as tokenistic diversity to deflect criticism rather than integral to the story. These choices feel non-intrusive in the plot, which prioritizes a stylized, eroticized romance over Brontë's gothic revenge saga, omitting generational trauma and Hindley's racism-driven abuse. National Review critiques it as 'soft-core feminism' portraying Cathy as a 'liberated feminist' defying patriarchy, but this remains subtle, supporting the sensual plot without dominating. The film's anachronistic style, Charli XCX soundtrack, and heavy sex scenes modernize the tale organically for escapism, not preaching. Lacking overt indoctrination or preachy social commentary, it integrates mild inclusion without alienating viewers or overshadowing entertainment, aligning with 3-4 range despite backlash from those expecting activist representation.
Plot
In Emerald Fennell's lush, erotic reimagining, orphaned Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) is brought to Wuthering Heights by the Earnshaw family, forming an intense, forbidden bond with wild Catherine 'Cathy' Earnshaw (Margot Robbie). Their childhood passion evolves into adult obsession amid class divides and familial tensions. Cathy marries wealthy Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) for security, devastating Heathcliff, who vanishes and returns transformed, seeking vengeance. The film focuses on the first half of Brontë's novel, amplifying carnal desire with psychedelic visuals, rain-soaked trysts, and a Charli XCX soundtrack, while omitting the book's second-generation revenge arc, Hindley Earnshaw, and racial elements of Heathcliff's outsider status.
Analyzed by AI on February 15, 2026