This scandalous moment between Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan has become the gay Roman Empire

Five seconds: that’s all it takes to become legendary in the gay community. At least, when the five seconds in question concerns two of the hottest young actors on the scene on a press tour to promote one of the steamiest, buzziest films of the year.

That’s right: during the Saltburn press tour, there was one moment between stars Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi that still has fans breaking out the yarn and pushpins trying to piece it all together.

For one user, this watershed moment represented a huge step forward culturally. It was the moment gays over the age of 24 went from saying “Jacob who?” to nodding in silent, horny agreement every time his name is brought up. Which is quite a lot, these days, often in league with his Saltburn co-star Keoghan.

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This film is the gay gift that keeps on lisping.

Think what you want about the film, the chemistry between these two is off the charts: at least, that’s what creator talecia has to say in a recent TikTok. At a pre-screening Q&A of Saltburn held in late November in Los Angeles, a moment came with Elordi (tall, strapping) had to pick up Keoghan’s (short, Irish) small cup of iced coffee (noted gay drink) and hand it over to him. “Here they are sitting on director’s chairs with little drinkies,” talecia explains, going on to state that Elordi is what’s known as a “unit.” The creator also notes the importance of the giggling engaged in by both, the slight knee pat Elordi gives to Keoghan, followed by a sassy crossing of the leg as Elordi turns away from Keoghan, who at this point is sipping his small iced coffee.

It might not seem like much, but listen: this is December 2023. The planet is on its last legs. We’re in the midst of several global genocides. Everyone, meaning everyone has just about given up hope—and then this saucy lil clip comes along, and you know what? It’s something. It’s better than nothing. We need this. Just like we needed Keoghan’s delicious snaps of him and May December star Charles Melton being cute on a place on IG.

The headline is this: Keoghan is gay culture. Elordi is gay culture, but a different side of it. And Melton, we have previously argued, is the best part of gay culture.