Barry Keoghan opens up about fatherhood and how ‘people use my son as ammunition’

“People love to use my son as ammunition” 

In an interview on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Keoghan, 32, candidly spoke about how online speculation about his parenting is being used against him.

He said the ongoing scrutiny has affected both his life and his approach to social media.

Keoghan, who shares his son with a former partner, has always been open about his challenging childhood. 

Raised in foster care after his mother’s death from addiction, Keoghan says his past has inevitably influenced his approach to fatherhood. 

“If I didn’t have tough skin or the strength I have, I wouldn’t be sitting here,” he explained. 

“My childhood, of course, affects me as a father - I had no real blueprint to take from.”

Despite his efforts, Keoghan says online critics have labelled him an “absent father,” twisting his limited public posts about his son into a false narrative. 

“People love to use my son as ammunition,” he said, noting that the hurtful comments have led him to post less frequently about his child to protect him. 

“It’s not fair to put my child online,” he added, though he acknowledged that his son's absence from social media has unfortunately fuelled even more speculation.

Keoghan, who recently starred in Saltburn, shared how deeply the accusations impact him. 

“Just the audacity of some people - it sickens me, makes me furious,” he admitted. 

Keoghan has tried to stay off social media while preparing for roles, but he confessed that, like anyone, he sometimes checks in. 

“When it’s slander...or bad comments attacking my appearance or attacking me as a father, it’s hard to ignore,” he said.

Despite this, Keoghan is determined to create a stable future for his son. “I’m just trying to make a living, build a solid body of work, and create safety for my child,” he explained.

Reflecting on his own upbringing, Keoghan spoke about his mother, who he describes as “beautiful, almost six-foot, with dark hair,” but who struggled with addiction. 

“It’s sad to see the deterioration of people and see the struggles with recovery. It caught my mum, my uncle, and my father too,” he said. 

The actor moved through over 10 foster homes before eventually living with his grandmother, an experience he says still “haunts” him. 

However, he wants his story to be a source of inspiration rather than pity, showing children what’s possible despite a difficult start.

In 2023, Keoghan won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Banshees of Inisherin, which also earned him an Oscar nomination. 

Keoghan’s rise in Hollywood has been notable, with acclaimed performances in films like Eternals and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. 

Keoghan is now working on his latest film Bird, as well as Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Peaky Blinders. 

The full interview with Barry Keoghan is available now on The Louis Theroux Podcast on Spotify.

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