Margot Robbie's bathtub scene steals the limelight in 'Saltburn', makes waves in global cinema

With successful roles in films like 'I, Tonya' by Craig Gillespie, 'Birds of Prey (and the Fantastic Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)' by Cathy Yan, and 'The Cleaner' miniseries by Molly Smith Metzler, Margot Robbie has proven herself capable of driving profitable projects forward. Her best decision was to participate in the production of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," a film that became a box-office success and a global phenomenon.

Simultaneously, "Saltburn," a film by Emerald Fennell, was released in the same year. Previously, Robbie had invested in the striking debut of Fennell’s "Promising. Young. Woman." featuring Carey Mulligan. Now, Robbie concedes that one of the script's most shocking scenes initially did not seem nearly as risky.

The scene in question garnered so much fame that it eclipsed the popularity of the entire film. Ellie Harrison from "The Independent" describes it: "In one of the most frequently commented sequences, a lustful intruder [played by -- note, the author.] Barry Keoghan, Oliver Quick, slurped bathwater remnants from the drain just minutes after a handsome aristocrat [played by -- note, the author.] Jacob Elordi Felix Catton, played in the same bath."

In a "Variety" interview, Robbie commented on the controversial scene. She confessed that while reading the script, nothing particularly shocked her. She explained, "In the script, it didn't come off as shocking because Emerald [Fennell, the director] quickly engulfs the viewer in the story. She's a master at setting the atmosphere and propelling the plot – she quickly draws you into the narrative – making you think, 'I'm fully invested in this world.'

When reading up to the bathtub scene, she was so engrossed and drawn into the storyline that she fully believed in it. Robbie metaphorically compared it to "picking at a scab and thinking, 'I can't help myself.' Or when you get a pimple: 'I know I shouldn't squeeze it, but I'm going to do it anyhow.'"

"The Independent" reports that the actress recognized the director's intention to shock and disgust the audience as a calculated move. Robbie proposed promoting the movie with short teasers to construct a mysterious atmosphere and build suspense instead of a single extended trailer encapsulating the entire storyline. This, she argued, would deprive the viewer of the joy of uncovering the narrative's sequential elements independently.