Emerald Fennell Talks “Boy Licking Inside Of A Bathtub” Beginning For ‘Saltburn’ – Contenders London
deadline.comEmerald Fennell talked the expected starting point for her new film Saltburn at the Deadline Contenders London event today.
The director’s follow up to her Oscar Best Picture-nominated and Best Screenplay-winner Promising Young Woman, stars Barry Keoghan as working class Oxford University student Oliver who becomes obsessed with manor born, aristocrat Felix, played by Jacob Elordi. “It’s hard to say because it creeps up on you sometimes,” Fennell said in answer to a question on the inspiration for the film. “For me, it was probably six or seven years ago… when I saw a boy licking the inside of a bathtub,” she continued, referring to a scene in the film. “Two things came into my mind… somebody saying I wasn’t in love with him and then the licking inside of the bathtub.
I thought… I like this person already because they’re insane with desire and they’re a liar,” she continued. “I wanted to make something about desire and that very complicated relationship with the things that we really want, can’t have and will never have us back.” Talking about Oliver’s love-hate relationship with Felix, Fennell revealed she took inspiration from boundary-pushing French filmmaker Catherine Breillat for this dynamic. “Catherine Breillat said sexual tension isn’t between people, it’s between beauty and ugliness, and beauty thrives on revulsion” she said. “I think there’s always, when you’re kind of gripped by something completely overwhelming and otherworldly desire, there’s this element of revulsion.” Fennell was joined on stage by casting director Kharmel Cochrane, production designer Suzie Davies and editor Victoria Boydell.
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