'Saltburn' star Barry Keoghan reveals ordinary household item he used to ensure his penis was the perfect size in infamous nude scene

Barry Keoghan has opened up about one of the most talked-about moments in Saltburn, confirming a detail that fans have long debated.

Speaking on the podcast Friends Keep Secrets hosted by Benny Blanco, Dave Burd, and his wife Kristin Batalucco, the actor addressed the now-infamous nude dancing scene and didn’t hold back.

During the chat, Keoghan confirmed that what viewers saw on screen was entirely real. His admission sparked an immediate reaction from the hosts, with Blanco bluntly responding that it was a “good d**k”, setting the tone for a candid and often hilarious exchange.

But the conversation quickly turned to the practical side of filming such a vulnerable scene, with Keoghan revealing the unusual method he used to make sure his penis was the perfect size for the big screen.

The unusual trick behind the scenes

Keoghan explained that keeping things camera-ready was not as simple as just stepping into frame. He described the lengths he went to in order to strike the right balance during filming.

He said: “The bed was an 800-year-old bed that some king owned. They were like, you know, 'You can't lay on this bed,' but I was like, 'Well, I have to step into frame,' so they let me lay on the bed with a hot water bottle, you know, to kind of keep…”

Burd jumped in to clarify: “The blood flowing to your penis?”

Keoghan replied: “Yeah.”

Burd continued: “To make your d**k as big as it could be?” To which Keoghan disagreed, instead implying the correct balance had to be struck.

Finding the “ideal” look on camera

The discussion became even more detailed as Burd tried to pin down exactly what Keoghan was aiming for during the shoot.

Burd said: "Are you trying to get a little bit of blood flowing into your d**k and thinking about something that turns you on to have like the ideal soft but kind of like quarter b*ner d**k?"

Blanco then interjected: "Is that your best soft d**k?"

Keoghan explained the balancing act involved, saying: "You don't want it to be too big… you can't have an erection on screen… but it also gets cold [while filming along the corridors]."

Multiple takes and a lot of patience

As if the setup was not complicated enough, the actor revealed that the scene required numerous takes, adding another layer of difficulty to maintaining consistency.

Blanco asked: "I gotta re-watch it. Does your penis change size? I mean, how many times did you have to do that?"

Barry responded: "12 times."

Featured image credit: MGM