You’ve seen the photos. The leaning in for a kiss on the red carpet. The playful smacks during interviews. The "bathwater" candles that took over the internet in late 2023 and early 2024.
When Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan teamed up for Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, nobody expected the off-screen bromance to become more famous than the movie itself. Honestly, the chemistry between the 6’5” Australian and the 5’8” Irishman felt like lightning in a bottle. It wasn't just movie magic. It was a weird, beautiful, and highly publicized friendship that redefined how actors promote a project.
But behind the viral clips, there’s a real story of two actors who are fundamentally different in their craft but found a middle ground in a big, gothic English manor.
The Saltburn Connection: Pure Electricity
If you've watched Saltburn, you know the vibe. Jacob Elordi plays Felix Catton—the golden boy, the sun everyone orbits. Barry Keoghan is Oliver Quick, the guy who wants to be the sun. Or at least drink its bathwater.
Elordi once described Keoghan as "pure electricity" on set. It’s a good way to put it. Barry is known for being unpredictable. He’s a "reaction" actor. He doesn't just deliver lines; he waits to see what you give him and then strikes. Elordi, who came from the world of The Kissing Booth and Euphoria, had to match that intensity.
They bonded over things you wouldn't expect. Not just the script. They spent their breaks playing Pokémon on vintage Game Boys. Imagine that: two of the world's most talked-about leading men, sitting in a drafty mansion, trying to trade a Pikachu.
Why the "Flirting" Wasn't Just for Show
The internet had a field day with their red-carpet antics. The "almost" kiss at the Los Angeles premiere? That sent TikTok into a spiral. People accused them of "queerbaiting," but Keoghan was quick to shut that down in a 2024 interview with GQ.
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"It ain't just for the cameras," he said. He literally admitted to "really flirtin'."
He explained that when you’re that comfortable with a co-star, the boundaries of personal space basically disappear. He calls Elordi a brother. But it’s a brother he’s clearly very "comfy" with.
That comfort was essential. They had to film scenes that were, frankly, insane. The grave scene. The bathtub scene. If there was even a hint of awkwardness between them, those moments would have flopped. Instead, they became the most discussed cinematic moments of the decade.
Where They Are Now: Different Paths in 2026
Since that summer at Saltburn, both actors have exploded into different tiers of stardom. It's 2026 now, and their resumes look wildly different than they did when they were just "the guys from that weird movie."
Jacob Elordi has leaned hard into the "prestige" leading man role. He just finished playing Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, which hit theaters in February 2026. He’s also the lead in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi epic The Dog Stars. He’s no longer just the tall guy from a teen drama. He’s an Oscar-adjacent heavyweight.
Barry Keoghan is taking a grittier route. He’s currently starring as Orman in the heist thriller Crime 101 alongside Chris Hemsworth. He’s also joined the Peaky Blinders movie, The Immortal Man, reuniting with Cillian Murphy. Oh, and he’s still slated to play Ringo Starr in that massive Beatles biopic project coming in 2027.
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They aren't working together right now, but they still pop up on each other's feeds. At the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), they reunited on the red carpet while promoting separate movies. The energy was exactly the same. Hugs, laughs, and that same "we know something you don't" look they give the cameras.
The Impact of the "Bathwater" Phenomenon
We have to talk about the candle.
In early 2024, "Jacob Elordi's Bath Water" candles became a legitimate business. It was weird. It was gross to some, hilarious to others.
Barry’s reaction? "I already have 10 of them. They’re all burning at my house right now."
This wasn't just a meme. It was a masterclass in how celebrities can lean into the "unhinged" side of fan culture. Most actors would have their PR teams distance them from something so graphic. These two? They leaned in. It made them feel human. It made them feel like they were in on the joke.
Acknowledging the Hype vs. Reality
Look, we have to be realistic. A lot of what we see on red carpets is performance. Actors are paid to sell a movie. The "bromance" was the best marketing Saltburn could have asked for.
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However, you can't fake the kind of rapport they showed in the British Vogue "In Conversation" video. You see the way Elordi mocks Keoghan for being "sensitive" about his son, and the way Keoghan immediately smacks him for it. That's real friendship. It’s the kind of ribbing that only happens when you’ve spent 14-hour days together in a remote English countryside.
The Career Shift
Before Saltburn, Jacob Elordi was worried about being pigeonholed. He hated The Kissing Booth. He wanted to be a "serious" actor. Working with Barry Keoghan—a man who has an Oscar nomination for The Banshees of Inisherin—gave him a certain kind of "indie" credibility he didn't have before.
Conversely, Keoghan was often seen as the "weird" character actor. The guy from The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Pairing him with Elordi turned him into a heartthrob. Suddenly, Barry Keoghan wasn't just a great actor; he was a star.
What to Expect Next
While there are no confirmed projects featuring both Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan in 2026, the industry is desperate to pair them up again. Directors have seen that their combined "it-factor" is worth millions in earned media.
If you're a fan of this duo, here is how you can keep up with their trajectory:
- Watch the 2026 Awards Circuit: Elordi is currently a frontrunner for his role in Frankenstein, and Keoghan's work in The Narrow Road to the Deep North has him back in the conversation for major TV awards.
- Look for "The Immortal Man": Keoghan’s role in the Peaky Blinders film is rumored to be his most physical performance yet.
- Check out "Wuthering Heights": If you want to see Elordi return to that dark, brooding energy he shared with Keoghan, his turn as Heathcliff is the closest thing you’ll get.
The "Saltburn Summer" might be over, but the impact these two had on celebrity culture isn't. They proved that you don't have to be boring to be a movie star. You can be weird, you can be "naughty," and you can definitely be "comfy" with your co-stars.
For anyone looking to dive deeper into their filmographies, starting with their early work like Dunkirk (Keoghan) or Euphoria (Elordi) provides a great perspective on how much they've evolved before meeting in that fateful bathtub scene.