Emerald Fennell is aware of an exquisite factor when she sees it. For Self-importance Honest‘s “Notes on a Scene” collection, the Saltburn director did a deep dive on establishing the pivotal scene the place Oliver (Barry Keoghan) first arrives on the lavish British property Saltburn and is taken on a tour of the grounds by Felix (Jacob Elordi) earlier than they spend a fateful summer time collectively.
Fennell kicks off the video by singing the praises of Keogahn, who stars in Saltburn as Oliver Fast, an outcast Oxford scholar who in some way falls into the nice graces of Elordi’s extremely common, charming, and über-wealthy Felix. “I noticed Barry in Killing of a Sacred Deer and I assumed it was the very best efficiency I’ve ever seen,” says Fennell. “Simply full cease. I feel that the very best efficiency any actor’s ever given. He appeared to get the factor that I actually love in all films and actually wished on this. He’s each an actual particular person and a sense too. He is aware of how be tremendous grounded and actual, however be different worldly.”
Oliver’s arrival to Saltburn kicks off what Fennell describes as probably the most “gothic second of the movie.” The transition from Oxford’s campus to Saltburn represents a turning level, she says. “We go from Secret Historical past, Brideshead Revisit, to ‘Oh, we could also be in a hammer home of horror film” Fennell says. At this home of horror, Oliver greeted coolly by butler Duncan, performed by Paul Reese. “He’s Saltburn,” says Fennell. “He may have lived for 1000 years. He’s one of many bricks.”
Shockingly, the precise property of Saltburn has by no means appeared in any piece of media earlier than. “There are not any images of it,” she says. Fennell knew that Saltburn needed to be the placement for the movie when she took a tour of the property and observed one thing quirky about the home. “They’d hats on the busts. These sort of priceless stunning marble statues, and so they had these foolish hats on them,” says Fennell, circling one within the background of a shot. “That’s precisely what this film is, the sort of surreal and the sort of mundane sort of stunning and the foolish all, like, collectively in a single.”
Fennell is fast to level out that Saltburn, set in the summertime of 2006, is technically a interval piece, which she wished mirrored within the costuming. She then factors to Felix’s Livestrong bracelet, which she cheekily calls a “essential interval element.” To seize 2006, she made certain that Felix was groomed appropriately. “Lengthy hair, sideburns. That was 2006,” she says.
“So many instances the costume designer could be like, ‘We discovered this tremendous lame gown,’” quips Fennell. “I’m like, ‘It’s in my cabinet. I put on it on a regular basis. I’m gonna burn it after I get dwelling.’”
Fennell was instantly taken by the Euphoria star’s audition, particularly the best way he performed in opposition to sort as a member of British aristocracy. “This is the reason Jacob Elordi is such an absolute genius. And why the second he got here in and auditioned I wished him to play the half,” she says. “When folks auditioned they got here in and gave a type of Brideshead sort efficiency—it was fairly lush and type of arch. And Jacob got here in and was simply sort of this regular man.” Fennell goes on to elucidate how troublesome it’s to play “good man” sort characters. “Relating to character usually I don’t assume any of us are good,” she says. “I simply don’t know anybody good… probably not. Not anybody I do know properly. I don’t assume I’m good.”
As for the tour of Saltburn: Fennell wished the viewers be wowed by the home, but additionally to be targeted on Felix. “That is Felix’s tour,” she says. “This is without doubt one of the causes we selected this home. This home is so stunning, so distinctive. It was additionally essential to me framing-wise that despite the fact that it’s a tour of the home, despite the fact that we’re all dying to see it, despite the fact that it’s probably the most stunning home on the planet, we’re not taking a look at it.”
