Jacob Elordi has been accused of grabbing the reporter behind a radio prank gone wrong by the throat.
Joshua Fox, from Australian station KIIS FM, said he tracked the Saltburn star to a bar in Sydney when he heard the actor was in the city. But Mr Fox claimed the 26-year-old became angry when asked to fill an empty container with bathwater, in reference to a famous Saltburn scene.
Police in New South Wales say they're investigating an alleged assault. Mr Elordi, who's originally from Brisbane in Australia, was spotted in a beer garden at the beachside Clovelly Hotel in south-east Sydney on Saturday.
Speaking on the Kyle and Jackie O Breakfast Show, Mr Fox said he approached the actor outside the building. In a recording released by KIIS FM, Mr Elordi can be heard asking not to be filmed.
Mr Fox told hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson he agreed to stop “because the joke didn't land”, but Mr Elordi got “right in my face” and demanded he delete any footage. The radio producer said he refused, due to feeling “intimidated” and to preserve the recording as evidence of the alleged confrontation.
After this, Mr Fox said, the actor “[flipped]… he pushes me against the wall and his hands are on my throat”. Police confirmed to BBC Newsbeat that it was investigating an alleged assault against a 32-year-old man by a 26-year-old male.
The older man was not injured in the altercation, officers added. Mr Elordi has become one of Hollywood's hottest young stars since he moved to the US shortly before landing a breakout role as Nate in the HBO's Euphoria.
He's been nominated for awards for his film roles in Saltburn and Priscilla. BBC Newsbeat's approached his representatives for comment.
Joshua Fox is English but has worked for the Kyle and Jackie O show in Australia since 2022
— CutC by bbc.com
