Following the release of Saltburn, Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan have quickly become one of the Internet's favorite duos, especially off-screen — but was their pairing always intended?
Speaking to British Vogue after the release of the film, Jacob Elordi said that Emerald Fennell, who serves as writer, director, and producer for the drama, actually wanted to cast a different actor for the titular role of Oliver. Which actor, you might be wondering? Well, none other than Timothée Chalamet.
While chatting about what attracted each of them to their particular roles, both Keoghan and Elordi credit the script and the fact that they had been fans of Fennell since Promising Young Woman. While the fact that Elordi was attached to the project was also a deciding factor for Keoghan, Elordi claims he was presented with a different acting partner. “She said she wanted Timothée Chalamet for it, and I said, ‘Have you thought about Barry Keoghan?” the Australian actor quipped in the video. His Irish costar burst out laughing in response.
Whether Elordi’s “reveal” was simply a joke or legitimate intel remains to be seen, but the revelation does open up a world of new possibilities. There’s no denying Keoghan was the clear standout of Saltburn, and it’s hard to imagine anyone other than him playing the unhinged Oliver Quick. That said, after Call Me By Your Name’s infamous peach scene, we’re rather curious to see how Chalamet would have fared in Saltburn’s arguably-more-notorious bathtub scene. We'll never know, but for now, I guess we'll file this one under roles that Timothée Chalamet almost landed.
And if you haven't got a clue what any of the above means, this a reminder that Saltburn is now available to stream on Prime Video. (Reminder: the film is rated R. Watch at your own discretion.)
