Saltburn: 10 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know

The black comedy psychological thriller film Saltburn, which released in 2023, was written, directed, and co-produced by Emerald Fennell. The cast features Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, and Archie Madekwe.

Taking place in Oxford and Northamptonshire, England, Saltburn‘s story revolves around an Oxford University student who develops an obsession with a well-liked, aristocratic peer at the university. Eventually, the aristocratic student invites him to spend the summer at his eccentric family’s estate.

There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about this film, but today my aim is to change that…

Here are 10 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know about Saltburn

1. Barry Keoghan is from Ireland. He spent a Belfast weekend with filmmaker Michael McNulty (who is Australian) developing his Liverpool accent and drinking pints for 20 hours straight.

2. The wardrobe for Saltburn was created to illustrate the casual dressing habits of the British elite. This is noticeable in the initial scene, where Oliver stands out in a complete academic outfit amidst others in sweatsuits and jeans. As he attempts to assimilate with the affluent group, Oliver’s attire gradually becomes more relaxed and less stylized.

3. Emerald Fennell initially considered Timothée Chalamet for the role of Oliver, but it was Jacob Elordi who recommended Barry Keoghan for the part.

4. To capture the authentic fashion of Saltburn‘s setting in 2006 and 2007, Emerald Fennell provided the cast with some of her own clothing from that era. Among these items was an Alexander McQueen jacket that Fennell had personally worn during her time as a student at Oxford, and this particular piece is worn by the character Elspeth in the film.

5. In preparation for his role, Jacob Elordi delved into Evelyn Waugh’s novel, “Brideshead Revisited,” following director Emerald Fennell’s suggestion as a means to immerse himself in the character.

6. Barry Keoghan adopted an approach to the film as if he were portraying five distinct characters. He assigned labels such as Oliver 1, Oliver 2, Oliver 3, and so forth to each scene, indicating which version of Oliver he should embody. Each iteration of Oliver had its own set of motivations and mannerisms. Keoghan found himself transitioning between various Oliver phases multiple times in a single day of shooting.

7. Every frame in Saltburn‘s opening title theme was meticulously hand-drawn, gilded, and painted before being incorporated through stop motion. The production spanned months, with the creation of each individual frame requiring half a day to complete.

8. The priciest track to secure for the movie’s soundtrack was “Mr Brightside” by The Killers, as stated by Emerald Fennell in an interview. In a specific scene, Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi are depicted singing along to the song while the original version plays in the background.

One contributing factor to its high cost was the portrayal of the song as being performed onscreen by the actors, referred to in the industry as a “visual vocal,” which typically incurs higher licensing expenses compared to a song merely playing in the soundtrack.

9. The London Film Festival 2023 chose this film as its opening feature.

10. LuckyChap Entertainment, the production company Margot Robbie founded alongside her husband, Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara, produced Saltburn. The company also produced Barbie and Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennell previous film).

Well, there you have it, 10 Interesting Facts You Might Not Have Know about Saltburn. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below.

Check out the trailer for the film below:

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