Barry Keoghan has become an audience favorite based on his work in hit films like Saltburn, Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. But what you might not have known was how he got to where he is today. Through navigating a tough childhood to becoming an Oscar nominee, keep reading to learn about Barry’s journey to the big screen.
Born in Ireland in 1992, the Irish actor, alongside his younger brother Eric, lived in 13 different foster homes.
During an interview on Ireland’s The Late Late Show in 2018, the actor spoke positively about his experience in the system. “Every family was good to us.” However, he did express the confusion and emotional stress moving around caused him.”As a kid, you don’t know what’s happening. You get attached – and then boom – ‘Let’s move over here.’”
At the age of 10, Barry and his brother moved in with their maternal grandmother and older sister Gemma. Two years later, their mother would tragically pass away after battling addiction.
The Irish of Banshees actor explained the drug epidemic that swept through his hometown. “The drugs hit the area, and it affected all the families and she was one of them that got caught,” he said to the Irish talk show host.
Barry’s mother died at the young age of 31. The actor, who was just 12-years-old, still recalls “great memories of her” and is “very proud”of his mother. To keep her memory alive, Barry revealed to The Sunday Times, via Daily Mail UK, that he not only prays to his mother “every day,” but also wears a bracelet with her name engraved.
When recalling his childhood, he expressed that the odds were stacked against him. “13 homes, you know? If that was on paper you’d kinda go ‘he’s destined to mess up.'” However, Barry didn’t let his hardships stop him from pursuing his interests.
After the passing of his mother, Barry started to take a liking to film. “I was expressing. Doing impressions, putting on accents for prank calls, going to the shops and becoming different characters each time,” he explained to GQ UK in 2022.
At the age of 16, Barry came across a casting call at a window shop for a crime drama, Between the Canals. After a successful audition, he landed his first of many roles.
Keep reading to find out what movies the Irish actor has starred in.
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