Barry Keoghan Was Once Banned From The Irish Theater Where Marvel’s Eternals Premiered
With his outstanding performance in “Saltburn,” Barry Keoghan has solidified himself as one of the most exciting and sought-after up-and-coming stars — and it’s not just because of that provocative final shot. Sure, the TikTokers were all over “Saltburn” because of its generous helping of full-frontal Keoghan nudity, but the Irish star also delivered a truly unsettling performance as a disturbed student who becomes obsessed with Jacob Elordi’s Felix and his upper-class family.
Anyone who followed Keoghan’s career prior to “Saltburn” knew he was capable of such feats, especially those who’d seen his equally brilliant portrayal of disturbed teen Martin in 2017’s “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.” But it’s not just the mentally unstable that Keoghan has a knack for playing so well, though that particular talent will no doubt come in handy when the actor has his proper debut as the Joker in Matt Reeves’ Batman universe. The 31-year-old has also demonstrated an impressive range, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” in 2022.
All of which is pretty impressive, especially considering the obstacles Keoghan had to overcome to get where he is. Having lived in 13 foster homes as a child, the young Dublin-native lost his mum when he was just 12 years old, before moving in with his grandmother and aunt in the Summerhill area of Dublin. Fortunately, acting provided an outlet for him, even if, as he told the Irish Independent, he was banned from performing in school plays when he “misbehaved — not doing homework and skipping class.” As it turns out, this wasn’t the only experience the young Keoghan had with being banned for misbehaving, as the actor recently revealed he was also barred from his local cinema.