Barry Keoghan opens up on a 'new chapter of life' following online hate about his appearance
Barry Keoghan is ready to move on from people's online comments about the way he looks and is embracing a 'new chapter'.
The Irish actor has been subjected to online abuse over the years. From allegations about him being an 'absent father' following the birth of his son in 2022, to claims that he cheated on ex girlfriend Sabrina Carpenter, it's been a rough few years for the Crime 101 star.
The same can't be said about his ever-blossoming Hollywood career though. Keoghan won a BAFTA for his role in The Banshees of Inisherin, and has also received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations — as well as an additional BAFTA nomination for Saltburn.
He's currently in the process of filming Sir Sam Mendes' series of Beatles biopics, where he plays Ringo Starr. Filming is thought to have started in Liverpool, UK, back in March.
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In light of his portrayal of The Beatles' drummer, Keoghan has ditched his usual short back and sides haircut for a 1960s worthy hairdo, reminiscent of that of Starr's.
While his new look has sparked some unkind comments, the abuse he has received online predates his Beatles-esque makeover.
"There's a lot of abuse of how I look, and it's kind of past the point of - you know, everyone goes through that… but it's made me shy away," Keoghan recently said on SiriusXM's The Morning Mash Up.
"It's made me really go inside myself, not want to attend places, not want to go outside. I say this being absolute pure and honest to you. It's becoming a problem," the 33-year-old added.
But he's ready to put all that behind him.
In a new interview with Variety, Keoghan said he wants to 'step into a new chapter of my life where I let my work speak for me'.
He continued: "I want to close the book on it, put my head up, have a smile and enjoy the moment.
"I feel like I just read that line off something. I didn’t, but I did look out the window as I said it and smiled."
Good for you, Barry!
Elsewhere in the interview, the actor discussed how he carefully picks the projects he works on.
Keoghan said of the movies he's starred in (and will star in in the future): "I carefully, cautiously pick because I just want to enjoy, and I want to heal, I want to tell, I want to find, I want to explore.
"I want to discover all of those things while I’m making a movie with people who are like-minded."
Topics: Barry Keoghan, Mental Health, News, Celebrity, Film and TV
Niamh Shackleton