‘Birds of Prey’: The Secrets Behind the Movie’s Epic Breakfast Sandwich
The jumping-off point of DC Films’ Birds of Prey is Harley Quinn’s (Margot Robbie) recent break-up with the Joker. As the film’s sometimes-subtitle — And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn — indicates, the movie’s plot largely revolves around Harley claiming her independence.
Yet, Birds of Prey does establish another critical relationship for Harley. And it’s the last one anyone expected.
The delicious breakout star of ‘Birds of Prey’
The relationship in question, it so happens, is between Harley and her egg sandwich. Early in the film, the recently liberated Harley heads to her local bodega for a breakfast sandwich. She looks on lovingly as the short-order cook prepares her meal. And in an instant, Birds of Prey had found one of its very best moments.
Set to Barry White’s “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Baby,” the scene plays out like every foodie’s dream. Harley is enamored with her sandwich, and Birds of Prey leans heavily into how this moment kicks off her life away from the Joker. Bruno Oliver — the actor who plays Sal, the cook who assembles Harley’s sandwich — has even heard deeper interpretations.
“I’ve read a lot about the sandwich as a metaphor for Harley’s recovery,” Oliver told Variety. “I’ve read a lot that refer to Sal as the only male in the movie who doesn’t screw her over.”
Actor Bruno Oliver had no idea how important his scene was
During production on Birds of Prey, Oliver went all in to prepare for his big scene with Robbie. A catering chef stood in for the detailed close-ups, such as one hand cracking two eggs. But Oliver took his role as Sal very seriously. He even went so far as to spend the entire previous night figuring out how to best prepare Harley’s breakfast sandwich.
“It was definitely one of the oddest preparations as an actor I’ve done,” Oliver told Variety. “I spent the night destroying my kitchen making egg sandwiches over and over and over again.”
Despite all that effort, Oliver — who has appeared on shows like The Office and Mad Men — had no clue how pivotal his scene would be to Harley’s story. After all, out of context, a scene of your main character ordering a sandwich would probably seem like a throwaway moment. Thankfully, this turned out not to be the case with Harley’s beloved breakfast sandwich.
“You couldn’t tell from the audition necessarily and as actors, we always worry about our scenes being cut,” Oliver said. “I really didn’t understand the place the egg sandwich had in the movie until I saw it.”
How to make Harley Quinn’s breakfast sandwich at home
Since Birds of Prey‘s theatrical release, fans have been eager to recreate Harley’s bodega breakfast sandwich. The recipe itself seems simple enough. To make it at home, fans need two eggs, liberal amounts of bacon, two slices of American cheese, bread, hot sauce, melted butter, and cooking oil. As Harley herself notes in the movie, only a dash of hot sauce is preferred.
The real secret, according to Oliver, is the bread itself. Just as in the movie, the best choice is a ciabatta roll because it provides “nooks and crannies” for the eggs to get into. Also, be sure it is toasted and buttered before you begin assembly. And, as Oliver points out, “you should be able to eat it with your hands.” Just like Harley.
Birds of Prey is now available to purchase on-demand.
