As he zipped through his acceptance speech at the BAFTAs last night, Post-It in hand, Barry Keoghan subtly acknowledged the pain and adversity he overcame in his journey to become one of the world’s greatest actors.
The 30-year-old took home the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in The Banshees from Inisherin and dedicated his win to his son Brandon and his mother, who died when he was 12 after battling a heroin addiction.
And even as he picked up the latest addition to his growing collection of awards in front of a star-studded audience, Keoghan thought also of the children of Summerhill, in the beating heart of Dublin where he comes from, who ‘dream’. to be something”, alluding to his own difficult upbringing.
The actor, who now wins Best Supporting Actor at next month’s Oscars, grew up in foster care, living in 13 households over seven years due to his mother’s addictions and absent father
He struggled at school, where he was considered a naughty student, and after being kicked out of school plays for “goofing around,” the father of one child said acting helped him overcome some of the trauma of his childhood after initially pursuing a career in boxing and football.
When he won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor last night, Barry Keoghan dedicated the award to his son Brandon and his mother, who died when he was 12 after battling a heroin addiction
The actor, who starred in international blockbusters such as The Eternals and Batman before earning critical acclaim for his role as Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin, delivered a lightning-quick speech to the star-studded audience at the BAFTAs last night.
“I’m going to fly through this because I’m pretty nervous,” he admitted, fumbling to open a yellow sheet on which he had written his thanks.
The actor first thanked Martin McDonagh, who wrote and directed the award-winning film, and his co-stars Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Kerry Condon.
“Brando. I want that for my son Brando too,” he said, adding, “For my mom and also for the kids who have dreams of being something from the area I come from. This is for you.’
Speaking to RTE after his win, the actor gushed that he planned to keep his BAFTA under a picture of his late mother.
Blessed with luscious black curls, strong cheekbones, good looks and exceptional acting talent, it’s no wonder Barry’s opportunities keep coming his way.
But success and fame haven’t favored the Banshees’ breakout star, who has struggled through a quagmire of personal battles.
The young Irishman grew up in Summerhill and experienced an exceptionally difficult upbringing.
His mother was a heroin addict and very little is known about his father.
Declan, a childhood friend, told Radio Four that it was not uncommon for Summerhill’s children to have a parent who died of a drug overdose.
Pictured: Colin Farrell (left) and Barry Keoghan (right) both starred in the film The Banshees of Inisherin
Life was made even more crushingly difficult when his aunt grandma broke the news that his mother (centre) had died of a heroin overdose
The actor with his partner Alyson Sandro, with whom he gave birth to a son in August last year. Pictured at the UK premiere of The Eternals in London in 2021
Barry and his younger brother Eric went into foster care for seven years from the age of five, during which time the two siblings lived in 13 different homes.
Eventually, his grandmother Patricia convinced social services to let the boys move in with her so they could have a stable upbringing, GQ journalist Douglas Greenwood said on the Radio 4 Profiles podcast.
During this time, Barry’s interest in acting began to grow as he watched old Hollywood movies.
“His entry into the industry was watching these movies as a kid at his grandmother’s house,” Greenwood said.
“He watched films with Marlon Brando and James Dean and was fascinated by these kinds of old Hollywood stars,” he added.
However, Keoghan’s life became even more difficult when his aunt and grandmother broke the news that his mother had died of a heroin overdose.
Keoghan, who was 12 at the time, described the moment as the “worst day of his life” but admitted the experience made him stronger.
Speaking to JOE about the devastating moment, he said: “I remember it wasn’t pretty. It’s not always nice when children are taken away from their parents.
Keoghan said time has strengthened the bonds between him and his brother Eric, whom he called a “legend”.
Eric often appears on his siblings’ Instagram feed. He has a little girl and enjoys taking photos in his free time.
Growing up, Keoghan developed a penchant for “mischief,” according to his childhood friends Declan, but always managed to smile his way out of trouble.
Speaking to Radio Four, Declan admitted it was clear Keoghan was “not academic”.
As a teenager, the Dublin native had his sights set on making it as a boxer – and still competes at amateur level – or as a footballer.
Barry Keoghan (right) and his brother Eric (left) were in foster care for seven years, during which time the two siblings lived in 13 different homes
When he was a pupil at O’Connell School (above) on North Richmond Street, Dublin, he was kicked out of the school’s flagship for “playing around”.
Barry Keoghan poses in the press room with the award for Best Picture, Musical or Comedy for ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel
In fact, his second cousin was Frank Stapleton, 66, a former Manchester United and Arsenal striker who won 71 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
Keoghan was known for being a rascal and a con artist at school.
When he was a pupil at O’Connell School on Dublin’s North Richmond Street, he was kicked out of the school’s flagship theater for “joking around”.
He still managed to get into trouble outside of school, where he recalled sneaking into the local cinema and watching movies without paying.
Keoghan’s Instagram feed also reveals that he enjoyed dressing up. He’s posted a series of pictures donning costumes for a variety of characters, including Frank Sidebottom (above) and Spiderman
Keoghan told the Guardian that staff would pursue him before pulling him out and banning him from the venue.
However, he had no idea that years later one of his films would have a special premiere in the same cinema.
Many people follow the film for fame, but for Keoghan, acting has been, and remains, a cathartic release.
He explained how the work was therapeutic on a deeper level and allowed him to let go of some of the pain he endured growing up.
Nonetheless, it’s also apparent from his Instagram feed that he’s always enjoyed dressing up.
The Irish actor plays the role of Druig in Marvel film Eternals (pictured). He has played a number of key roles in blockbuster films
Growing up, Keoghan wanted to make it as a boxer – who he still plays at an amateur level – or footballer (Pictured: Barry Keoghan attends the 2018 American Animals premiere)
In his twenties he released a series of images trying on costumes of famous characters including Frank Sidebottom and Spiderman.
Keoghan began acting in 2011 when he auditioned for a role in Between the Canals – an Irish film about the lives of three criminals.
He then studied acting at the Factory in Dublin before appearing on the Irish soap opera Fair City at the age of 18.
His big break came when he landed a role in the WWII film Dunkirk, portraying the character George Mills.
In 2021, it was reported that Keoghan had entered another relationship with Alyson Kierans and the two welcomed a child in August 2022
Since then he has appeared in a number of famous films including The Batman, Eternals, American Animals and the television series Chernobyl.
Upon hearing that the latest The Batman film was in production, he auditioned unsolicited for the role of Ridler.
When he met the film’s producer, Dylan Clark, the role was already taken.
Months later, however, he received a call back and the team asked if he could step in and play the Joker.
The Batman star in April 2022 also opened up about being diagnosed with ADHD and revealed how he felt he had it growing up.
His condition has made it difficult to read great books, which admits the reason he was more drawn to film.
His romantic life is known to have started a relationship with Shona Guerrin in 2017 after meeting her in a pub.
Shona was working as a bartender at the time but said the two should never have gotten together as she recalled Keoghan was dating another woman at the time.
The two became boyfriend and girlfriend after Keoghan didn’t take “no” for an answer.
During their three-year relationship, pictures on Shona’s social media show the pair enjoying a beach vacation, sipping cocktails and posing at a Late Late Show premiere.
In 2021, Keoghan began a new relationship, this time with Alyson Kierans, a dentist whose father is from County Cavan.
Just months after getting together, he broke the news that the couple was expecting a baby.
His son Brandon was born in August 2022 and called the moment “indescribable” in an interview with GQ magazine.
He has now amassed almost a million followers on Instagram and posts regularly on the site.
It was reported that he was arrested early Sunday in Dublin, Ireland, in connection with a public intoxication on a flat balcony.
Officials “were called to the apartments after receiving reports of a man on a balcony intoxicated,” a source told the outlet.
“When they arrived he was not threatening in any way but was arrested and taken to Garda station where he was treated before being released.”
The Dublin, Ireland native was taken to Coolock Garda Station and cautioned before being released without charge, according to the outlet.
A source at the time told independent.ie that the issue was over pretty quickly “and nothing more will come of it”.
A year before his arrest, he was the victim of an attack and was reportedly hospitalized and left with facial injuries.