How Emerald Fennell Captured the Transgressive Power of Wuthering Heights

On Sunday afternoon—just hours before the Super Bowl—members of the Vogue Book Club gathered at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea for a special preview screening of Wuthering Heights, followed by an insightful conversation between director Emerald Fennell and Chloe for The Run-Through. Drawing on literary scholarship and her own teenage memories of the book, Fennell chose to lean into its sadomasochistic undercurrents. As she explained, “There’s a quote from Daphne du Maurier in which she describes Wuthering Heights as a kind of sexless book. But I’ve never experienced it that way. That’s part of the novel’s magic—everyone who reads it takes away something slightly different. For me, the sexual power dynamics are extremely explicit.” Fennell’s version makes several notable departures from the classic text. Isabella Linton (played by Alison Oliver) emerges as a more dynamic character (Fennell joked that she herself is “more of an Isabella than a Cathy”), and the adaptation omits both Nelly’s first-person narration and the novel’s second half (William Wyler did it first!). Perhaps the most memorable addition, however, is the motif of crushed eggs beneath bed sheets—an inside joke between Heathcliff and Cathy. Fennell revealed that she volunteered to sit on the eggs herself during filming. Earlier in the episode, Chloe and Chioma catch up on their two iconic covers released this week: powerhouse pop star Rosalía (Chloe’s first print issue for Vogue ) and Bhavitha Mandava, the latest model taking over the fashion industry. Chloe also previews the NYFW schedule, highlighting Rachel Scott’s Proenza Schouler show as one to watch, while Chioma recounts her morning, which included breakfast with Jill Biden. The Run-Through with Vogue is your go-to podcast where fashion meets culture. Hosted by Chloe Malle, Head of Editorial Content, Vogue U.S.; Chioma Nnadi, Head of British Vogue; and Nicole Phelps, Director of Vogue Runway, each episode features the latest fashion news and exclusive designer and celebrity interviews. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices