The lavish production of Emerald Fennell’s reimagining of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is already generating buzz, and not just for its star power. A seemingly minor detail – a giant, chocolate strawberry clutched in the hand of Margot Robbie, who plays Catherine Earnshaw – has revealed a fascinating behind-the-scenes story about a last-minute prop request and the artistry required to bring a director’s vision to life.
According to food artist Sarah Hardy, 55, she received an urgent call from the production team seeking six-inch-tall strawberries that were, crucially, “biteable.” Director Fennell, it seems, was dissatisfied with initial strawberry orders and needed a solution, and quickly. Hardy, who runs a business specializing in elaborate confectionery creations and bills herself as a “horror chocolatier,” stepped in to deliver.
“They got in touch with me as a bit of an emergency job. ‘Can you make us some six-inch-tall strawberries, now?’ – That was the request, and they had to be biteable,” Hardy recalled in an interview with BBC Essex. The scale of the request was significant; Hardy spent an entire weekend crafting twenty of the oversized fruits. “The real tricky bit was getting the skin because a strawberry skin has dips and pips all over it,” she explained. Her solution? Individually applying sesame seeds to create the textured surface.
The dedication to detail is striking. Hardy revealed the process took so long, she and her team watched three series of Stranger Things while working. However, she also confessed a slight regret: the strawberries, while visually impressive, don’t taste particularly good. “I didn’t get to say this to Margot Robbie herself, but I am sorry. It’s just sugar,” she admitted.
This isn’t Hardy’s first foray into Hollywood prop work. She was previously commissioned to create chocolate beetles for Netflix’s 2025 adaptation of Frankenstein, starring Jacob Elordi, who also appears alongside Robbie in Wuthering Heights. This suggests a growing trend of productions seeking out specialized food artists to create realistic and visually arresting props.
The inclusion of the giant strawberry has already sparked considerable online discussion. A video posted on Facebook on , highlighted the unusual prop, prompting speculation about its significance within the film. The adaptation itself is being described as “sexy, dramatic and swoonily romantic” by BBC Culture, a departure from more traditional interpretations of Brontë’s novel.
The buzz surrounding Wuthering Heights extends beyond the strawberry. The film has also fueled theories connecting it to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, with some fans suggesting a potential sequel or shared universe. This speculation, reported by the Mirror, underscores the intense interest in Robbie’s post-Barbie projects and her continued influence on popular culture.
Robbie’s recent transformation for the role has also been noted. Reports indicate a significant shift in her appearance, signaling a commitment to fully embodying the character of Catherine Earnshaw. While details remain scarce, the change has generated further anticipation for the film’s release.
Fennell’s adaptation promises a visually striking and emotionally charged take on the classic novel. The film centers on the tumultuous relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, an abandoned child taken in by the Earnshaw family. The narrative explores themes of love, revenge, and social class, mirroring the core elements of Brontë’s original work.
The use of bold costumes and set pieces, as highlighted in reports, suggests a deliberate effort to differentiate this adaptation from previous versions. This approach, combined with the star power of Robbie and Elordi, positions Wuthering Heights as a potentially significant cultural event. The seemingly small detail of a giant, albeit unappetizing, strawberry serves as a microcosm of the film’s larger ambition: to reimagine a beloved classic in a way that is both visually arresting and emotionally resonant.
The story of Hardy’s involvement also speaks to the often-unseen artistry that goes into filmmaking. While actors and directors receive the most prominent recognition, the contributions of skilled craftspeople like Hardy are essential to creating a believable and immersive cinematic world. Her dedication to detail, even in the face of a tight deadline and a less-than-ideal recipe, exemplifies the commitment to excellence that defines the film industry at its best.
