The star of HBO's 'Euphoria', Jacob Elordi, is the subject of a police inquiry for allegedly assaulting Joshua Fox, a staff member of KIIS FM. The incident occurred outside the Clovelly Hotel in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, where Mr Elordi was staying ahead of the upcoming Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, as per a report in the New York Post.
The 'The Kissing Booth 3' actor got frustrated by the reporter's questions and both got into an argument. This soon turned into a physical altercation between the pair. Mr Fox did not sustain any injuries.
A New South Wales Police spokesperson spoke to News.com.au and stated that a man was allegedly assaulted during the encounter around the afternoon of February 3. "Officers attached to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command are investigating after a man was allegedly assaulted outside a hotel in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs," a statement said.
The spokesperson added, "Police were told about 3:30 pm on Saturday 3 February 2024, a 32-year-old man was allegedly assaulted by a 26-year-old man. The man did not sustain any injuries."
According to the outlet, audio from the incident was played on-air Monday. In the clip, Mr Fox is heard approaching Mr Elordi with an empty jar, asking him to fill it with his bathwater and "send it to the studio" for the show's co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson, alluding to a contentious scene involving Mr Elordi's character in the smash film 'Saltburn'.
"You're kidding," Mr Elordi says, before asking, "Are you filming?" The reporter confirms the same and the actor asks him not to. Mr Fox said that things went south after he stopped filming. He said, "He kind of gets up in my face... He's a lot taller than me. I could've kissed him he was that close. I'm backed against a wall, he's right in my face and his two boys [friends] are beside me. It was kind of scary. I'm feeling quite intimated, and Jacob demands I delete the footage."
Mr Fox stated that he informed the actor that the joke "didn't land" and that there was "nothing to use," so he agreed to remove the tape. "A switch went off and he's become quite aggressive. He goes, 'Go into your recently deleted. I'm thinking, if I delete this footage, there's no evidence this encounter happened. So then I refused to. Jacob flips and pushes me against the wall and his hands are on my throat," he continued.
The 26-year-old actor has not yet commented on the matter.
Meanwhile, Mr Elordi, who is from Brisbane, has been nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Award at the AACTA Awards for his performance in the film 'Saltburn'. The event is set for February 10 at the Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast. The actor's appearance at the awards event is doubtful due to the ongoing inquiry.
