The Saltburn dance scene has become a major talking point, not just for its artistic merit or shock value, but for the intensely personal questions it has sparked for actor Barry Keoghan. Following the film’s release, interviews with celebrities connected to the movie quickly veered into uncomfortable territory, highlighting a strange fixation on Keoghan’s body.
It began with Andrew Scott and Sophie Ellis-Bextor facing questions about the now-infamous naked dance scene. During an interview, Scott was directly asked about the physicality of Keoghan in the scene. Similarly, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, whose song “Murder on the Dancefloor” soundtracks the scene, was quizzed by Paterson. The interviewer asked, “There is a lot of talk about whether or not prosthetics are used in this scene,” referring to Oliver’s naked dance in the movie’s final moments. Paterson then pressed, “Can you give us any inside intel on that?”
Ellis-Bextor, perhaps understandably taken aback, responded, “As far as I’m aware, none at all.” The line of questioning immediately drew criticism online. One Instagram user questioned the relevance, commenting, “She’s not part of the prop department or set dec or makeup or production design… WHY would you ask her that?” Others echoed this sentiment, with comments like, “How about asking her about her music rather than an actor’s appendage?” and another adding, “Just another prime example of the media insulting women actors during an interview.”
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The speculation surrounding whether Barry Keoghan used a prosthetic for the Saltburn naked dance scene isn’t new. Keoghan himself addressed these rumors in an Entertainment Weekly interview. He seemed to confirm the authenticity, stating, “The initial thing was about me having no clothes on. I’m a bit… But after take one, I was ready to go. I was like, ‘Let’s go again. Let’s go again.'”
He further elaborated on the atmosphere on set and his own comfort level, “You kind of forget because there’s such a comfortable environment created, and it gives you that license to go, ‘All right, this is about the story now.'” Keoghan emphasized the scene’s importance to his character’s arc, saying, “It totally felt right. It’s ownership. This is my place. It’s full confidence in, ‘I can do what I want in this manor. I can strip to my barest and waltz around because this is mine.’”
The online reaction to the intrusive questions posed to Scott and Ellis-Bextor highlights a double standard. As many online commentators pointed out, if the roles were reversed and a female actor was subjected to such intensely personal and sexualized questions about her body in a film role, there would be widespread outrage.
Several factors contribute to this situation. Following his acclaimed performance in The Banshees of Inisherin and now Saltburn, Barry Keoghan has experienced a rapid rise to fame. This sudden stardom has, for some, resulted in a kind of “infantilisation,” a tendency to treat him as if he is new to the industry, despite his extensive acting career. This perception, possibly fueled by narratives around his “humble beginnings,” might contribute to a sense of unwarranted familiarity and the perceived acceptability of asking extremely personal questions.
Furthermore, the issue touches upon the broader problem of sexual objectification. While women disproportionately experience sexual objectification, men are not immune. Regardless of gender, reducing an individual to solely an object of sexual curiosity is unacceptable. The focus on Keoghan’s nudity in the Saltburn dance scene, and the invasive questions directed at him and his colleagues, exemplify this problematic trend.
The media’s intense focus on Barry Keoghan’s body in relation to the Saltburn dance scene raises important questions about respect, objectification, and the boundaries of celebrity interviews. It serves as a reminder that regardless of gender, actors deserve to have their work discussed without being subjected to invasive and inappropriate personal inquiries.
