Why would this charismatic young British actress want to become cinemas doyenne of dark?

And her co-producer is Margot Robbie, the effervescent Barbie who made the world blink pink.

Saltburnis steamy, sexy and diabolically obscure.

Emerald Fennell and Saltburn

Emerald Fennell, and Barry Keoghan in ‘Saltburn’Getty/Everett

Mulligan even intrudes briefly as a crazed, flame-haired boozer.

Is it intended as a ferocious send-up of British inherited wealth?

But Fennell, like Gerwig, has clearly made shrewd use of the career opportunities afforded her.

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The success ofPromising Young Womanearned a coveted Telluride slot forSaltburn.

Gerwig, meanwhile, honed her talents through the mumblecore subculture of improvised dialogue and handheld cameras.

She co-wroteGreenburgwith her writer-director mate Noah Baumbach.