Barry Keoghan delved into the challenges of filming Saltburn’s graphic grave scene, revealing that the intense nature of the sequence left him feeling physically unwell.
The Irish star, who portrayed Oliver Quick in Emerald Fennell’s x-rated thriller, shared insights into his acting process and how he approaches challenging roles while appearing on online interview series, Hot Ones.
Keoghan expressed a preference for roles that push him to his limits, acknowledging that the grave scene in Saltburn was one such instance.
The scene, which sparked much discussion online, depicted Keoghan's character Quick engaging in a disturbing act of intimacy with the grave of his murdered best friend Felix Catton, portrayed by Jacob Elordi.
Reflecting on the eyebrow-raising scene, the Bafta award winner admitted he was left "nauseous" as he fully immersed himself in the scene, exploring the dark and complex emotions of his character.
He told show presenter Sean Evans: “I mean I s*****d a grave in Saltburn right…I should get that checked.
“Saltburn really pushed it. Every role pushes it and I like to be pushed. I don't want something to be comfy.
“I want to really artistically go there and there's moments on sets & movies where you lose sight of camera and you kind of get this…nauseous feeling, you're so present. It's something we [actors] chase…”
Following Saltburn's release late last year, both Keoghan and director Emerald Fennell revealed that the disturbing scene wasn't originally planned until the morning of the shoot.
Fennell, 38, told Entertainment Weekly that the star had asked for a close set so he could “let his body lead the way”.
The 31-year-old actor added: “On paper, he wasn't written to do that. But I wanted to see what actually happened, where I would take it.
“I wanted to be confused and let my body lead the way. What am I doing? How can I get closer?”
