Had Elordi taken the role, he would have joined a jury including Skarsgard, Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Ruth Negga, Belgian director-screenwriter Laura Wandel, Chilean filmmaker Diego Céspedes, Ivorian American actor Isaach De Bankolé, and Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty.
It would also have made him one of the youngest jurors in Cannes history, which is not a small line on a résumé, even by Hollywood standards.
What happened with Kendall Jenner in Hawaii
Elordi and Jenner were first linked publicly last month after being seen together at Coachella. A few months before that, they were photographed deep in conversation at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
A source told People in April: “They’ve been hanging out and getting to know each other the last couple months.”
Last week, the pair were photographed on the island of Kaua’i in Hawaii. During the trip, they were reportedly staying at the North Shore Preserve Resort and were seen getting coffee and shopping at a wine shop.
Other images showed them sitting on a beach, with Jenner appearing to hold a bottle of rosé. Nothing illegal, shocking, or even especially dramatic there, unless you had recently withdrawn from Cannes because walking had become a professional obstacle.
That contrast is what turned a rumoured celebrity romance into a minor industry argument.
The online criticism was swift
On X, several users accused Elordi of making a poor career choice, or at least giving the public a confusing set of optics.
“Jacob Elordi declining a Cannes jury offer over a vacation with the Kardashian-Jenner clan tells me everything I need to know about him,” user espressoriana wrote.
Another user, Rickyjay, took a slightly more practical view: “The thing about Jacob Elordi dropping out of Cannes is it’s a lot of work, and if you don’t feel you’re equipped to take part and take the job seriously, you shouldn’t be there. That being said, there was no need to lie if he doesn’t have an actual foot injury.”
Rochi added: “Jacob Elordi dropped out of being a juror at the Cannes Film Festival due to a ‘foot fracture’, but he showed up driving with Kendall Jenner, Kylie, and Timothée Chalamet. I hope these vacations don’t end up costing him his career… I thought he was smarter than that.”
The driving comment refers to later photos showing Elordi in Los Angeles in the front seat of a car with Jenner, while Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet were in the back.
One user called it a “fumble,” 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, each who could have taken the wheel if your foot was really that badly injured?”
Others defended him and pointed to burnout
Not everyone was convinced the outrage was necessary. Several people argued that Elordi should be allowed to rest, date, recover, or simply have a life outside work, a concept that continues to alarm the internet.
“God forbid a man wants to spend time with his girlfriend…..?????” sylveesimstcg posted.
Another user, 0phi0c0rdyceps, wrote: “He was sleeping in his car because he was barely making Hollywood, he’s made it. So let him do it how it wants because he earned it.”
Lydia added: “If a man chose to spend time with you over work you’d be telling all your friends about him lol.”
Others told critics to back off and “let him breathe,” framing the trip as part of a healthier work-life balance after a busy stretch involving Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, and Euphoria.
That defence lands because Elordi has been unusually visible in recent years. For actors at his level, career momentum can look glamorous from the outside, but it often means months of production, promotion, travel, and public scrutiny. Still, Cannes jury service is not a casual invitation, and that is why the debate has stuck.
Their dating histories remain part of the attention
Elordi has previously been linked to Kaia Gerber, Zendaya, and Joey King. He also dated Olivia Jade on and off beginning in December 2021, and the pair were last spotted together in January 2026.
Jenner was most recently linked to Bad Bunny. They split in December 2023 but were reported to have reconciled multiple times afterward. She previously dated Devin Booker for two years and has also been linked to Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin, A$AP Rocky, and Harry Styles.
In 2019, Jenner told Vogue Australia that her friendships and relationships are “very special and very sacred” to her.
“I personally think that bringing things into the public makes everything so much messier,” she said.
On that point, the past week has provided a fairly persuasive case study.
Metro reported that it had contacted representatives for Elordi for comment.
