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Barry Keoghan

Birthday
Birthplace
DublinIreland
Height
173 cm · 5′8″

Barry Keoghan is an Irish actor known for his performances in The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Banshees of Inisherin, and Saltburn. After rising to prominence in Irish television and independent cinema, he gained international recognition for his work across major studio films and independent dramas. He received the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and an Academy Award nomination for The Banshees of Inisherin.

Personal life

Keoghan began a relationship with dental nurse Alyson Kierans in September 2021, and the couple welcomed a son, Brando, in August 2022. Their relationship concluded in mid-2023. In late 2023, he started dating American singer Sabrina Carpenter and starred in the music video for her single "Please Please Please" before the pair separated in 2024.

Outside of acting, Keoghan is an amateur boxer. He is an avid supporter of Manchester United and appeared in the football club's promotional campaign for their 2024-25 season kit alongside his second cousin, former Manchester United player Frank Stapleton. In March 2022, he became an ambassador for the Irish children's charity Barretstown, helping open its Aladina Studio facility.

Keoghan was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2020 and has spoken publicly about using medication to manage the condition. Days before filming began on The Banshees of Inisherin, he suffered a severe bout of necrotizing fasciitis, a life-threatening flesh-eating bacterial infection in his arm that required hospitalization.

Childhood and early acting roles

Keoghan grew up in the Summerhill neighborhood of Dublin, Ireland. His mother struggled with addiction and died of an overdose when he was 12 years old. Following her death, Keoghan and his brother Eric spent seven years in foster care, living in 13 different foster homes, before being raised by their grandmother, aunt, and older cousin Gemma. During his youth, he took part in school plays at Dublin's O'Connell School before being barred for disruptive behavior, and he developed a passion for cinema by sneaking into screenings at a local cinema.

His professional career began when he answered an open casting notice posted in a Sheriff Street shop window seeking non-actors with dirt bikes. The audition led to his debut role in Mark O'Connor's crime film Between the Canals (2011). He subsequently appeared in O'Connor's Stalker and King of the Travellers (both 2012) and trained at The Factory, a Dublin drama workshop that later became the Bow Street Academy.

Keoghan gained national recognition in Ireland in 2013 with a recurring role as Wayne in the RTÉ television drama Love/Hate. He followed this with supporting appearances in the historical action film '71 (2014), the drama Mammal (2016), and the crime feature Trespass Against Us (2016), in which he acted alongside Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson.

Breakthrough with Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer

In 2017, Keoghan achieved international recognition with two major cinematic roles. He appeared as George Mills, a civilian teenager who boards a boat assisting in the wartime evacuation, in Christopher Nolan's World War II epic Dunkirk. For his audition, Keoghan had recorded a self-tape where he used a TV remote control as a prop weapon.

The same year, he starred opposite Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman in Yorgos Lanthimos's psychological thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer. His portrayal of Martin Lang, a sinister teenager seeking vengeance against a cardiovascular surgeon, earned widespread critical praise and an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2018, Keoghan starred in the heist film American Animals as Spencer Reinhard and portrayed an English soldier in Lance Daly's period drama Black '47.

Awards recognition and blockbuster films

Keoghan continued his career momentum with roles in the HBO miniseries Chernobyl (2019) and the Irish crime drama Calm with Horses (2019), for which he received a BAFTA nomination. In 2021, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Druig in Chloé Zhao's Eternals and appeared in David Lowery's Arthurian adaptation The Green Knight. In 2022, he made a cameo appearance in Matt Reeves's The Batman, credited as the Unseen Arkham Prisoner, who was later confirmed to be the Joker in an officially released deleted scene.

In 2022, Keoghan reunited with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in Martin McDonagh's dark comedy The Banshees of Inisherin. His performance as the troubled island youth Dominic Kearney earned him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Keoghan took on the lead role of Oliver Quick in Emerald Fennell's psychological thriller Saltburn (2023), starring alongside Jacob Elordi and Rosamund Pike. His performance received a Golden Globe nomination and became a viral cultural talking point. He later starred as Lt. Curtis Biddick in the Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air (2024) and appeared in Andrea Arnold's drama Bird (2024). He was also cast to play drummer Ringo Starr in Sam Mendes's four-part Beatles biographical film series.

Quick facts

  • Keoghan spent seven years in foster care across 13 different homes following his mother's death from an overdose.
  • He booked his debut acting role in Between the Canals after responding to an open casting call posted in a Dublin shop window.
  • During his audition self-tape for Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, Keoghan used a TV remote control as a substitute prop gun.
  • In 2013, he posted a message on Twitter asking comic book legend Stan Lee to make him a superhero, six years before being cast as Druig in Eternals.
  • Keoghan survived a severe bout of necrotizing fasciitis, a life-threatening bacterial infection, only days before starting production on The Banshees of Inisherin.
  • He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for playing Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin.
  • Keoghan was once barred from appearing in school plays at Dublin's O'Connell School for messing around during rehearsals.
  • His second cousin is former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland football player Frank Stapleton.
  • He is an active amateur boxer and continued training in the sport alongside his film career.
  • His surname originates from an ancient Gaelic word meaning 'wolf cub.'
  • He was cast as drummer Ringo Starr in Sam Mendes's interconnected four-part Beatles biopic project.
  • In 2022, he became an official ambassador for Barretstown, an Irish charity supporting children with serious illnesses.

FAQs about Barry Keoghan

Who is Barry Keoghan's partner?

Keoghan was previously in a relationship with dental nurse Alyson Kierans from 2021 to 2023, with whom he shares a son, and later dated pop singer Sabrina Carpenter in 2023 and 2024.

What condition does Barry Keoghan have?

Keoghan was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2020. He also survived a life-threatening case of necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating bacterial infection, shortly before filming The Banshees of Inisherin.

What is Barry Keoghan's ethnicity?

Keoghan is of Irish heritage and White European descent, born and raised in Dublin, Ireland.

Are Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan related?

No, Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan are not related, though both are Irish actors who appeared in the 2017 film Dunkirk and the film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

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Barry Keoghan: Age & Biography | Celebs Info