Jacob Elordi was proud that Barry Keoghan “guzzled” this part of him

*Film spoilers ahead.

There’s romance. There’s bromance. Then there’s whatever is going on between Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan.

The actors, who star together in Emerald Fennell’s new erotic thriller Saltburn, have put their one-of-a-kind (read: deeply homoerotic) dynamic on full display while promoting the film. That includes addressing the movie’s most explicit scenes, like — spoiler warning — one in which Elordi’s character masturbates in a bathtub, and Keoghan licks up his semen from around the drain.

If you’re wondering what in the world the movie is about after reading that description, you’re not alone. Saltburn follows an awkward college student (Keoghan), who spends the summer at the family home of his affluent classmate (Elordi). Somewhere along the way, things go off the rails, leading to scenes like the now infamous bathtub incident.

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When asked for his feelings on the bathtub scene, Elordi said it conjures one emotion above all others: pride.

“I was like, ‘Thank God, it’s mine,’” Elordi said to Variety — referring, apparently, to the ejaculate that Keoghan lapped up. “I was very proud. I was very proud to have Barry Keoghan guzzling it like that.”

Elordi’s word choice — and his sentiment in general — raised eyebrows and dropped jaws across the internet.

‘guzzling it like that’ is such an insane thing to say i had to make sure i was reading this correctly

— lou (@christiansbale) November 19, 2023

“Thank god it’s mine” is insane.

— Kayla Ancrum ✨ (@KaylaAncrum) November 19, 2023

pic.twitter.com/SE8pET4ieO

— jonny (@smgiscoming) November 20, 2023

Even stranger than Elordi’s comment is Keoghan’s response. When asked how he felt about Elordi’s pride in their on-screen eroticism, Keoghan seemed surprised his co-star had so much admiration for him.

“He doesn’t text me back or ring me back. It’s so weird. He’s pretending to like me. It’s weird, man,” Keoghan said. Clearly, Elordi is playing hard to get.

This back-and-forth is only the latest in a series of bizarre interactions between the duo. At Saltburn’s premiere, the two nearly kissed on the red carpet in what looked like a game of gay chicken. And at cast events, Elordi has patted Keoghan’s leg and slapped him on the ass.

The true depth of Elordi and Keoghan’s relationship is up for interpretation — but if the future of Hollywood is this homoerotic, we’re certainly not complaining.