Meet the actor who takes on an important role in Emerald Fennell’s new thriller.

By Patrick Cremona

Published: Thursday, 16 November 2023 at 13:56 PM


Emerald Fennell has followed up her Oscar-winning debut feature Promising Young Woman with the brand new psychological thriller Saltburn – which arrives in UK cinemas this weekend.

The Banshees of Inisherin star Barry Keoghan leads the stacked cast, which includes a mixture of well-established actors, such as Rosamund Pike and Richard E Grant, and some of cinema’s biggest rising stars, like Jacob Elordi.

Meanwhile, one of the other young stars who takes on a prominent part is Alison Oliver, who plays Venetia Catton.

So, who is Saltburn actor Alison Oliver? Read on for everything you need to know.

Who is Alison Oliver?

Oliver is a rising actor who plays one of the key roles in Emerald Fennell’s new film Saltburn.

Her character is Venetia Catton, the slightly troubled and unemployed sister of Felix Catton – an aristocratic Oxford student with whom the main character Oliver Quick develops something of an obsession.

How old is Alison Oliver?

Oliver was born on 3rd June 1997 and is currently 26 years old.

What nationality is Alison Oliver?

In Saltburn, Oliver uses a posh English accent, given she is playing a member of an aristocratic family – but in reality, she is Irish.

She was born in Ballintemple in Cork and went on to study acting at Trinity College Dublin’s drama school The Lir Academy before relocating to London as her career began to take off.

What has Alison Oliver previously starred in?

Bobbi and Frances standing close and looking at one another in the street
Bobbi (Sasha Lane) and Frances (Alison Oliver) in Conversations with Friends.

Prior to Saltburn, Oliver’s most prominent role was as lead character Frances in the BBC’s adaptation of Sally Rooney’s debut novel Conversations with Friends – which was remarkably her very first acting job.

This year, she also had a key role alongside Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen in Jack Thorne’s well-reviewed BBC One drama Best Interests, while she will next be seen in the true crime thriller film The Order, which also stars Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult and Tye Sheridan.

She has also recently been performing on the West End stage, playing the title role in a production of Portia Coughlan at the Almeida Theatre.

What has Alison Oliver said about Saltburn?

Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton in Saltburn sat down with a pen and book
Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton in Saltburn.
WB

Speaking in the film’s press notes, Oliver said of her character: “I see Venetia as someone who, from a young age, got most of her praise from being pretty, or at least appearing desirable – so that became her currency.”

She added: “What really excited me about Venetia was kind of the intense boredom that she feels towards her life while simultaneously having this desperate need for attention, validation and visibility.”

Is Alison Oliver on Instagram?

Yes, she is – you can follow her at the handle @alisonjoliver, where she currently has around 35,000 followers.

Is Alison Oliver on Twitter/X?

No, Alison Oliver is not currently on Twitter/X.