The anonymity of the internet strikes again. Saltburn and Masters of the Air star, Barry Keoghan has hit back at online trolls who are calling him a “deadbeat dad,” and targeting his “distinct” appearance. The actor has shot to international fame over the last few years. Following roles in Eternals and Dunkirk, the Irish actor starred in the Oscar-winning Banshees of Inisherin, and saw his stardom rise meteorically thanks to his leading role in Saltburn. As well as incredible acting chops, Barry Keoghan has a distinct, instantly recognizable face — a feature which has become the target of malicious online trolls.
“People can sit there and make videos and be like, ‘I don’t like his face,’ ‘He looks weird’ or ‘He looks evil’ and just pick you apart,” the actor told Louis Theroux during an appearance on his podcast, aptly titled The Louis Theroux Podcast. During the conversation, which broached subjects like his childhood and that iconic ending dance from Saltburn, Keoghan took a moment to respond to the trolls online who think it’s acceptable and funny to ridicule someone for their appearance. He continued:
“It’s lucky I have tough skin, to be honest. A movie comes out and people can just really judge you and pick you apart online sometimes.
It’s just sad to see people like that.
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Some Have Slandered Barry Keoghan as an ‘An Absent Father’
Some of these online comments have also been targeted towards his skills as a parent and father. Over the last few years, the actor has been sharing images of his son less and less online, which has led audiences to slander him as “an absent father.” Keoghan said, “I don’t think it’s fair to put my child online,” in response to why he’s taken a step back from social media. He continued:
“And because I reined that in, people draw a narrative and go, ‘absent father, shit, deadbeat dad,’ and more disgusting things I wouldn’t even repeat. Just the audacity of some people, man. It sickens me, makes me furious.”
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While trolls leave hateful comments on their phones, Barry Keoghan is developing into a major Hollywood name. Following Saltburn, Keoghan appeared in Top Boy and Masters of the Air. In the pipeline, the actor is set to appear in the upcoming crime thriller, Crime 101, which also stars Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo. Barry Keoghan is also joining Birmingham’s finest for the Peaky Blinders movie. The film is reported to be set at the start of World War II. Keougan’s character hasn’t yet been revealed.
Most notably, fans are hoping Barry Keoghan can save one of DC’s most beloved characters when he returns as The Joker in The Batman: Part II. After Joker: Folie à deux left a major dent in the character’s popularity, Keoghan is expected to play a more comic book accurate version in the sequel, expanding upon his cameo from the end of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. However, it hasn’t been confirmed whether The Joker will be the Part II‘s main antagonist or if he will play another supporting role.
- Release Date
- November 24, 2023
- Runtime
- 2hr 7min