Elordi Defends Saltburn's Shocking Bathtub Scene, Criticizes Audience 'Prudishness'

In a recent interview, Jacob Elordi, the lead actor in the 2023 thriller Saltburn, reflected on the public's reaction to a particularly buzzy scene from the film. The scene in question depicts Oliver (Barry Keoghan) slurping up bathwater after secretly witnessing Felix (Elordi) masturbating in the tub.

Elordi believes the shocked responses to this sequence highlight the audience's "prudishness" when it comes to seeing sex on screen. The Euphoria star noted that he has witnessed much more extreme and graphic content in other movies, suggesting that viewers seem to have a higher tolerance for disturbing violence than they do for sexual situations.

"There's more alarming things in the top 10 streamed remakes of crime documentaries on every streaming platform," Elordi said. "I think that's much more alarming, the kind of horrible joy that we all get from watching children be mutilated. That's what was interesting to me."

The actor was intrigued by the visceral reactions the bathtub scene elicited, describing it as "just a little taboo" in the grand scheme of cinematic content. Saltburn's director, Emerald Fennell, also commented on the unusual response, noting that even the film's unflappable cinematographer was caught off guard by the sequence.

As the entertainment industry continues to push boundaries and explore more provocative subject matter, Elordi's perspective offers an insightful commentary on the public's evolving attitudes towards sex and violence on screen.