The Irish actor overcame tremendous hurdles in his early years to be where he is today.
Key Takeaways
- Barry Keoghan was born in Dublin to Irish mother, Debbie, and an absent father of unknown ethnicity.
- His mother battled addiction and passed when Barry was only 12.
- The actor has received numerous accolades and continues to thrive in the acting industry.
Barry Keoghan, the 31-year-old Irish actor, has been trending recently due to his “on-and-off” relationship with emerging star singer Sabrina Carpenter and his recent casting in the upcoming “Peaky Blinders” movie.
As Keoghan makes headlines, fans have been curious about the “Saltburn” and “Dunkirk” actor’s personal background.
His distinctive looks have drawn the attention of not only casting directors but also the attention and speculation of fans.
Barry Keoghan was born on October 18, 1992, in Summerhill, Dublin, Ireland.
Keoghan’s mother, Debbie, was Irish, but having not known his father since birth, his ethnicity is unknown.
Fans of the actor discussed on Reddit that Barry looks like MMA fighter Shavkat Rakhmonov, thus speculating that he must have Kazakh or Mongol heritage.
However, one can only speculate about the unknown half of his ethnicity.
Barry’s mother battled addiction and succumbed to an overdose when he was only 12 years old.
In 2017, he recalled during an interview,
Heroin came into Dublin, and it caught every family. My mother was one of the unlucky ones. She got caught on it, then she passed away…
hollywoodreporter.com
He spent 7 years in 13 different foster homes with his brother, Eric, before his grandmother, aunt, and older sister, Gemma, moved in together following his mother’s passing.
Barry fell in love with acting during this phase of his life. He recalls getting his first exposure to cinema when he used to sneak into the movies with his friends.
He went to the O’Connell School in Dublin, where he would perform school plays but was eventually banned for disciplinary reasons.
After his debut in the 2010 Irish crime drama “Between the Canals,” Keoghan studied acting at Bow Street Academy, a local Dublin drama school.
Even after all these years of putting his troubled past behind him, Keoghan recalls his roots.
Barry has bought a house for his grandmother as a thank-you for raising him despite dire circumstances.
He recalled his grandmother’s tough guardianship, quoting,
She’s a tough one… I’ll come home off a film set where I’m getting pampered, and I’ll get a slap in the head if I don’t make my bed. That’s what I love about her.
hollywoodreporter.com
In a 2024 GQ cover story, when asked what he thinks about when he feels lonely, he answered,
When I’m isolated? Obviously, my mother.
PEOPLE
My mother, always. She’s many years passed now, but I always think about her anyway. It’s always just in and around achievements that it’s really prominent—’cause you’d like to celebrate that wit’ ’er, y’know?
He recalled that his mother always knew of his performative potential, with him dancing and trying to make her laugh.
This earned him the nickname “little Timmy” from his late mother.
Barry Keoghan has joined the cast of the ‘PEAKY BLINDERS’ movie. pic.twitter.com/lkGgzAmTQ8
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) August 29, 2024
Despite a harsh childhood, Keoghan has cemented a place for him in the world of acting.
He has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for “The Banshees of Inshrein” and Best Actor in A Motion Picture Drama for “Saltburn.”
With massive projects like “Peaky Blinders” and “Bird” already in the works, Keoghan is sure to continue dominating the acting world.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Barry Keoghan has one child, a son named Brando, with ex-girlfriend Alyson Sandro.
- He is also an amateur boxer.
- He is one of the few actors who has played both Marvel and DC roles.
