Oscar Nominee Jacob Elordi Reveals Bizarre Link to Fellow Aussie Heath Ledger

Jacob Elordi's first-ever Oscar nomination isn't just a milestone moment for the Frankenstein star's career, but a serendipitous one linked to his fellow countryman, the late Heath Ledger.

The Saltburn star was nominated last week for Best Supporting Actor, for his work in Guillermo del Toro's Netflix adaptation of Mary Shelley's Gothic literary classic.

But with more than a month to go until the 98th Oscars on March 15 — airing at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and live-streaming on Hulu — Elordi is still knee-deep in sharing and charming along the campaign trail to secure the award itself.

How Did Ledger's Legacy Impact Elordi?

Ledger was just 28 when he died 18 years ago on Jan. 22, 2008, nearly six months to the day before the U.S. release of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, in which the actor starred as The Joker.

Ledger's portrayal of Batman's arch nemesis earned him his second-Oscar nomination and a posthumous win for Best Supporting Actor. Ledger had previously been tapped for Best Actor in 2006, for Brokeback Mountain.

"He sort of showed me it was possible," Elordi — who hails from Brisbane, across the country from Ledger's home of Perth — told Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday. "Fun fact is when I first started my career, I was kind of obnoxious, and I thought ... it's not gonna happen by 28. ... It's gonna take much longer. And, I'm 28 years old, and I got nominated 18 years to the day after he passed. So, I'd like to take this [moment] to say, thank you to Heath Ledger for that inspiration. It really, really means the world to me."

How Did Elordi Learn He Was Nominated?

"I'm far too nervous in the every day," said Elordi, who's also gearing up for the release of Wuthering Heights next month and the third season of HBO's Euphoria in April.

"So I made sure that no one told me this was happening. So I went to bed and I was asleep, comfortably. And I heard my mum's phone ring at like 5 a.m. and then her little feet [tapping on his legs, laughing] coming up the stairs and then her face sort of told me that I'd been nominated."

Elordi — who "promised her when I was 15" that he'd take her to the ceremony if nominated — said it was a "much better" way to learn the news "than [via] Twitter."

"It was just silence and she had my whole team on like a group FaceTime," he recalled. "And that was it, yeah."

Who Else Is Nominated for Best Supporting Actor?

Though Elordi's take on The Creature has been a favorite in the awards race, he's not necessarily favored to take home a golden statue come Oscars night — as is often the case for younger actors. (Female ingenues, of course, are a different story entirely.)

The acting categories this year are particularly loaded, though. Also competing are One Battle after Another stars Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn, Delroy Lindo for Sinners, and Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value.

Though two-time Oscar winner Penn was previously thought to be the guaranteed winner, many now suspect first-time nominee Skarsgård, as much for his performance itself as a sort of acknowledgement of his legacy.

What Other Awards Is 'Frankenstein' up For?

The Netflix film — also starring Oscar Isaac, Christoph Waltz, and Mia Goth — is up for a total of 9 awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay (del Toro).

As is to be expected with a del Toro film, Frankenstein is also nominated for a slew of below-the-line honors: Cinematography, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Production Design, and Sound.

Has Elordi Won Any Awards yet for 'Frankenstein'?

Elordi's been tapped at the major awards shows thus far — including the Golden Globes and the still-pending BAFTAs — and won the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also took home the Gotham Awards' Vanguard tribute for Frankenstein.