Sophie Ellis-Bextor reacts to Barry Keoghan’s nude dance to her song in ‘Saltburn’
Sophie Ellis-Bextor has reacted to the scene in Saltburn which depicts Barry Keoghan dancing in the nude to her song ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’.
Irish actor Keoghan stars in Emerald Fennell‘s dark comedy-thriller about Oxford student Oliver Quick who become immersed in the aristocratic family of Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi).
Among various shocking moments in the film, the memorable final scene finds Oliver dancing throughout the Saltburn estate mansion in the nude to Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 hit.
The singer has since shared her reaction to the full-frontal scene, telling People this month that while she knew what would occur, she still “wasn’t quite prepared for the visual”.
“Seeing it written down as a premise is different,” she said. “I mean, Barry really went for it. And it’s, like, the whole song!”
“Whenever your music’s used, you get a little synopsis,” she explained. “So I saw Emerald’s name connected to the project and I already was familiar with her and how talented she is. I’ve seen Promising Young Woman and really enjoyed it.”
“This little synopsis described how the character would be dancing, but I didn’t have any context. I’ve got quite a quirky sense of humor anyway, so I was like, I think I have to see how this plays out.”
“I didn’t really know exactly how it would play in terms of the role it was in the movie until I saw it at the screening, but I absolutely loved it,” she added. “I think it’s such a clever, funny, smart film. I really enjoyed it.”
Ellis-Bextor added that she was happy for Fennell to use her song, because they “didn’t really have a plan B” for the film.
“She just felt like it tied everything together in terms of the tone of the film and the juxtaposition of the sort of sweetness of the pop song, but also a little sting in the tail with the lyrics as well,” she said. “I think it works. But how lovely for me, I mean, look, I’ve been singing ‘Murder’ for over 20 years and it’s so nice that it still has the power to surprise me.”
The singer also met Keoghan after she watched the scene, sharing that the pair “just had a giggle”.
“I mean, he’s never going to be able to hear that in the same way again,” she added, laughing. “And every time he’s out and that comes on, people are going to think he’s going to strip off!”
The film, set in 2006, is full of hit noughties tracks like Girls Aloud‘s ‘Sound Of The Underground’, Bloc Party‘s ‘This Modern Love’ and The Killers‘ ‘Mr. Brightside’.
In a four-star review of Saltburn, NME described the film as an “intoxicating new satire”, adding: “Saltburn isn’t the most talked-about party of the year, but you shouldn’t miss it all the same.”
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Hollie Geraghty
NME
