Nicholas Hoult reveals the risqué gift he received from director Robert Eggers after wrapping filming on the Eggers’ Nosferatu stars Bill Skarsgård as the menacing Orlok, Lily-Rose Depp as the object of his obsession, and Hoult as Thomas Hutter, a real estate agent unwittingly drawn into the vampire’s lair. Known for his atmospheric blend of horror and folklore, Eggers aims to deliver a gothic and visually striking revival of the genre-defining classic.

In an interview with Elle, Hoult shared that Eggers gifted him Count Orlok’s prosthetic penis as a wrap gift. Hoult, whose character's livelihood is threatened when he is tasked with securing a new residence for the wealthy Transylvanian vampire, recalled a particularly memorable scene where Skarsgård’s Count Orlok feeds on him. Here's what the actor had to say:

I have Count Orlok’s prosthetic penis framed at home. There’s a scene where Bill Skarsgård is slurping my blood and Robert Eggers asked afterwards, ‘How was that for you?’ The director asked.

I said, ‘I could feel his prosthetic penis on my leg.’ And then, as a wrap gift, Rob got it framed, and he sent it to my house, but the frame had broken when I got it, so I had to take it to the local frame shop. I had to be like, ‘Hey dude can you fix this.’ He kind of didn’t even blink the first time and then when I went back to pick it up I think he clocked, like, how weird it was that I was framing, potentially, this vampire penis. He was like, ‘Is this some kind of collector’s piece?' I was like, ‘You could say that.’

What Hoult's Gift Means For Eggers’ Nosferatu

Exploring The Dark Allure Of The Vampire Myth

Hoult's bizarre yet darkly humorous gift speaks to the psychosexual themes that Eggers brings to Orlok's obsessive pursuit of the ill-fated real estate agent's wife, Ellen Hutter (Depp). Much like Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu the Vampyre, which offered a more dreamlike and sensual portrayal of the titular vampire, Eggers’ film appears poised to delve into the darker, more intimate aspects of the vampire myth. Vampires have long been a symbol of repressed desire and primal instincts, and Count Orlok’s interactions with Thomas Hutter promise to embody these unsettling tensions.

Robert Eggers' movies are renowned for the director's ability to weave historical authenticity with surreal, atmospheric storytelling, as seen in The Lighthouse and The Witch. By taking inspiration from both F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent classic and Herzog’s dreamlike reinterpretation, Eggers crafts a modernized take on Nosferatu that combines gothic horror with an exploration of power, seduction, and fear. Hoult’s anecdote about the prosthetic gift not only underscores the dark humor behind the scenes but also hints at the unnerving intimacy that might define Skarsgård’s portrayal of Orlok, a being both monstrous and tragically human.

Our Take On Hoult’s Nosferatu Wrap Gift

Dark Humor Meets Gothic Horror

Hoult’s story about receiving Count Orlok’s prosthetic penis offers a fascinating glimpse into the psychosexual undercurrents that shape Nosferatu. It's a story about a tormented creature that has always walked the line between the monstrous and the sensual, as seen with films like Interview with the Vampire, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

With Eggers at the helm, Nosferatu is shaping up to be more than a gothic vampire revival. It’s a meditation on the primal fears and desires that have made the vampire myth so compelling for generations. Hoult’s offbeat keepsake is just a quirky reminder of how deeply Eggers commits to his vision, ensuring audiences are in for a dark, haunting, and unforgettable experience.

Source: Elle