Barry Keoghan's life off camera – humble beginnings to his complex love life
Dublin-born actor Barry Keoghan always felt that he was destined for fame - and at the end of 2023, it became evident that he was well on his way to reaching global fame thanks to his incredible performance in Saltburn.
Barry, 31, who is nominated for the Best Actor Award at the 2024 BAFTA Awards, has quickly become one of the most recognisable faces in Hollywood in recent months - but the talented young actor started off his career well over a decade ago when he landed a memorable role in Irish crime drama, Love/Hate.
After rising up through the ranks in the film industry, without any acting training, Barry proved himself as an incredible talent and has since starred alongside Colin Farrell in The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Banshees of Inisherin - both of which he received BAFTA and IFTA nominations for. However, it was Emerald Fennell's Hollywood blockbuster, Saltburn, that has shot Barry to international fame thanks to the portrayal of his complex character, Oliver Quick.
As Barry gears up to attend the BAFTA's tonight - where he will compete with Cillian Murphy for the Best Actor gong - here, we take a look at where it all started for Barry from his humble beginnings to his family heartache.
Humble beginnings
Barry Keoghan has transformed into a Hollywood star (BAFTA via Getty Images)
Barry has gone through an incredible glow-up (Golden Globes 2024 via Getty Ima)The talented actor had a very different start in life compared to many of his industry peers, with the dad-of-one spending several years of his childhood in foster care thanks to the death of his mother. Keoghan was born in 1992 and grew up in Summerhill, a Dublin neighborhood.
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The Dunkirk actor and his brother Eric spent many years of their childhood in the foster care system, due to their mother battling addiction issues, and by the age of 10, Keoghan had lived in 13 different foster homes. Keoghan has been hailed as inspirational by other young people who have also experienced the care system, with many thanking him for breaking a stigma by sharing his story.
"I think that it is really inspiring and encouraging to hear that somebody of care experience has been nominated for an Oscar," one care leaver the Express and Star when discussing the actor's story earlier this year. "I mean, we start life with the odds stacked against us so it’s really re-affirming to hear these success stories."
Barry's beloved mother passed away when he was just 12-years-old, with The Batman actor recalling her death when speaking on RTÉ's The Late Late Show in 2019. "She was very young [when she died], she was 31," he said on the show. "I have great memories of her. I'm very proud of her."
Barry shot to fame on RTE drama, Love/HateThe actor and his brother eventually found a more permanent home, going on to live with their grandmother Patricia. While living with his 'nanny', the Oscar nominee developed a love of film and found himself engrossed in movies starring the likes of James Dean and Marlon Brandon, which inspired him to start working on impressions.
By the age of 16, Keoghan's career was already taking shape, thanks to the BAFTA-winning star landing a role the Irish crime drama Between the Canals thanks to an open casting call. His debut acting gig saw The Batman actor go on to attend at Dublin's prestigious acting school The Factory (now known as Bow Street Academy) and set him up for an incredible rise to stardom.
Over the years, Barry has appeared in films such as Dunkirk, The Green Knight and '71, alongside TV show stints in Love/Hate and Masters of the Air, but it was his turn as Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin that propelled him to global stardom last year.
The Irish star even picked up the gong for Best Supporting Actor at the EE BAFTA Film Awards last year for his performance in the Martin McDonagh black tragicomedy film. The BAFTA winner also dedicated the honour to children from the area he comes from, before going on to reveal the sweet way he planned to celebrate shortly afterwards.
"I’m going to go home now and cuddle my son," the dad-of-one confessed when speaking in the winners room minutes on from leaving the stage. "Go home and cuddle him."
Love life
Barry is a proud dad to son, Brando (keoghan92 / Instagram)
Barry split with Alyson last year (Getty Images)Barry shares his son Brando, named after acting legend Marlon Brando, with his ex- partner of almost two-years Alyson Kierans.
It's believed Barry began dating the dentist around September 2021, with the former couple announcing the birth of the first child together the following year in August. Barry is reported to have split with Alyson just 15-months after the pair welcomed their son, and he is now believed to have moved on with American actress and singer Sabrina Carpenter, 24, who bares a striking resemblance to his ex.
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Sabrina, who is famous for her hits including Feather and Nonsense is the niece of Nancy Cartwright, who is best known for her long-running role as the voice of Bart Simpson on The Simpsons.
Barry is reportedly dating Sabrina Carpenter (sabrinacarpenter/instagram)
Barry is said to be smitten with Sabrina (Getty Images for W Magazine)There has been speculation that Barry and Sabrina are dating after they were first linked just weeks ago. The rumoured couple were first spotted on an apparent 'dinner date' in Los Angeles, California, in December.
Before Sabrina and before Alyson, the Irish actor went public with his first romance in 2017 when he introduced his fans to Shona Guerin. Barry fell head over heels for the waitress during a visit to County Kerry while filming back in 2016.
Speaking to TV presenter Lucy Kennedy on her show Living With Lucy in 2019, he said: "She’s made me a man. She’s the girl I want to be with for the rest of my life." However, the actor and old flame split up in 2020 with fans spotting that they had unfollowed each other online.
Incredible transformation
Barry has underwent an incredible transformation over the past year (keoghan92/Instagram)Over the past year, Barry has had a serious glow-up, with fans all over the world swooning after the Irish star. In particular, avid fans of Saltburn were left besotted after watching the dark drama starring Euphoria's Jacob Elordi and Conversations With Friends star, Alison Oliver.
Although we can all agree that Barry was always easy on the eyes, he appears to have been busy working out in the gym and upping his game when it comes to the style stakes as he's been branded as one of the most fashionable men in Hollywood following a string of daring and edgy red carpet looks.
While Barry used to opt for less daring looks, over the past couple of months, the actor has proved that he's all about expressing himself through fashion as he's rocked up the Golden Globes and even the 2023 BAFTA Awards in showstopping looks.
Barry has also been busy in the gym, and last year, he showcased just how dedicated he has been as he posed in a steamy workout snap alongside his Saltburn co-star, Jacob.
The EE BAFTA Film Awards will be broadcast on Sunday 18 February 2024 from 7PM.
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