Write On: 'Saltburn' Writer Emerald Fennell

“I like having sympathy for the devil. And all of them are
devilish!” says Emerald Fennell about her characters in the new
film Saltburn.


Writer/director/actress Emerald Fennell dazzled us with 2020’s
Promising Young Woman, for which she took home the Oscar for Best
Original Screenplay. Now she’s back with Saltburn, a shocking
romantic tragedy (or triumph according to her!). On this episode
of the podcast, I speak to Emerald in depth about crafting the
screenplay for Saltburn and finding empathy for even the most
devilish characters.


Just a note: there are spoilers in this interview which I feel
are crucial to breaking down some of the most controversial
scenes in the film, including the taboo “vampire scene” and the
startling “bathtub scene.”


“That scene was never meant to be disgusting. It is a love scene.
It’s an act of, not service quite, but of devotion. It’s a kind
of prayer. I think the thing films often get wrong about sex is
that it’s just two people rubbing up against each other, it’s
penetration. But the really fascinating thing about sex and
desire is that it’s much, much more complicated than that,” says
Emerald Fennell.


Saltburn stars Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi and Rosemund Pike.
It’s currently playing in theaters and streams on Amazon Prime
Dec. 22.