Just when you think that Saltburn can no longer make us squirm, along comes the night of the 77th British Academy Film Awards. Well, it wasn’t exactly the movie that caused visceral reactions this time, though, but the questions directed at Andrew Scott about Barry Keoghan‘s part in it.
When Scott walked the red carpet, he had no idea what was in store for him, and neither did anyone who settled in to watch his live interview with BBC. Overall, the night was going well for the actor, until interviewer Colin Paterson questioned if he knew Keoghan. After Scott confirmed that he does, the interviewer then proceeded to ask how he reacted to his fellow actor’s naked dance scene at the end of Saltburn. To say that Scott looked thrown off by this is a massive understatement.
Despite the actor’s visible discomfort and attempt at evading the question, Paterson then brought up the subject of prosthetics. For those who don’t know, this was in reference to the public’s pondering on whether or not Barry Keoghan used one to shoot that particular scene. Although Keoghan has already affirmed that he did not, it seems like some people are not ready to believe him. And by that, I mean Paterson, who questioned Scott about how well he knows his fellow actor.
Instead of replying, Andrew Scott opted to make his exit, but the damage was already done. This brief exchange has generated a wave of controversy, as fans come to the actor’s defense, while others claim that there’s no need to create so much fuss.
The Andrew Scott and Barry Keoghan controversy, explained
To understand why this situation is generating so much controversy, you must simply ask yourself: how would you feel if someone asked about your reaction to a friend or acquaintance’s on-screen nudity? Probably uncomfortable, right? Especially if it was followed up with a question about how intimately you know that person’s body. That alone should be enough to justify folks’ displeasure at the interview, but naturally, there are layers to this.
First and foremost, there’s no denying that it was an inappropriate question to pose, even if asked in a humorous tone. Regardless of the interviewer’s intention, it comes off as objectifying. Then, there is also the subject of why Colin Paterson felt it necessary to ask Scott those particular questions. Is it because the actor is a gay man? Well, while no one can affirm it with certainty, as they can’t read Paterson’s mind, fans believe that is the case. And in all honesty, it’s hard to come up with any other justification.
And here I was, thinking that Jacob Elordi’s bathwater candle was the most eye-bulging thing to result from Saltburn‘s current popularity. In my defense, indelicate lines of questioning never crossed my mind. Maybe they should have.