Jacob Elordi's Statement at the Red Carpet
Red carpets aren't usually political battlegrounds, but Jacob Elordi threw out the playbook in Melbourne. While most attendees dazzled in designer outfits, Elordi showed up in a plain black t-shirt with a message that couldn't be missed: 'Eating Salmon? Killing Tasmania.' The shirt came straight from Neighbours of Fish Farming (NOFF), a grassroots group pushing for change in Tasmania's controversial salmon industry. That choice turned more heads than any tux could have—and definitely shifted conversation beyond just Amazon Prime’s new miniseries.
Alongside Elordi stood director Justin Kurzel and Richard Flanagan, whose bestselling novel inspired The Narrow Road to the Deep North. But it wasn’t just about TV. Flanagan has become one of the most recognizable critics of Tasmania's booming aquaculture, with his book Toxic: The Rotting Underbelly of the Tasmanian Salmon Industry laying out a sharp case against practices he says are poisoning rivers, destroying coastal habitats, and putting entire ecosystems at risk. The premiere, attended by industry insiders and stars, turned into an unexpected protest spotlight the moment Elordi took the stage.
Spotlight on Tasmania's Salmon Industry Controversy
So what's really going on with Tasmania's salmon farms? In the last decade, the state sold itself as a clean, green haven producing world-class seafood. But under the surface, reports of murky waters, stinking coastline, and vanishing wildlife have piled up. Activist groups like NOFF and community leaders argue that aggressive fish farming—driven by global demand for salmon—is leaving a lasting scar on Tasmania's fragile environment. They point to everything from waste build-up and escaped farmed fish to huge underwater dead zones where little can survive.
Richard Flanagan, never shy about ruffling feathers, has helped turn these issues into national headlines. In Toxic, and in many interviews, he’s detailed how untreated effluent ends up in Tasmanian waterways, raising concerns for not just local species, but also nearby communities that rely on fishing or tourism. Environmental watchdogs back up some of these fears, noting loss of seagrass beds, algae blooms, and a spike in disease risks for both farmed and wild fish.
The protest wasn’t just a symbolic gesture for Elordi. Independent parliamentary candidate Peter George, who attended the screening, called the actor’s move a "rare moment when celebrity power amplifies real and urgent environmental issues." For those fighting for stricter rules or a complete overhaul of the industry, Elordi’s shirt made their cause impossible to ignore—at least for a night.
This red-carpet protest added to growing calls for salmon companies and Tasmanian officials to be more transparent and tighten up regulations. It wasn’t about boycotting fish as much as forcing a rethink on what sustainable farming should look like.
Elordi’s shirt—simple, black, and blunt—did what thick reports and government statements often struggle to do: It started raw, public debate about the cost of cheap supermarket salmon. And for everyone in that Melbourne crowd, the message was clear—sometimes fashion really is political.
