Barry Keoghan, the brooding heartthrob from Saltburn with an accent so thick it could butter your toast, is in the spotlight again. But this time, it’s not for his acting chops. Nope, Barry’s firing back at accusations that he’s a “deadbeat dad” (because being a celebrity in peace is so 2020).
The 31-year-old actor recently popped into The Louis Theroux Podcast for a chat that quickly turned into a Dad Defense 101. “So, Barry, what’s up with these ‘deadbeat dad’ rumors?” Louis asked, probably raising an eyebrow so high it breached international airspace.
Barry, ever the unflappable Irishman, sighed the sigh of a man who’s read way too many online comments. “Ah, the internet. If I didn’t have skin thick enough to stop a bullet, I wouldn’t be sitting here,” he said. He then threw in some heartfelt backstory for good measure. “Growing up, I didn’t have that picturesque, ‘Here’s how to Dad’ manual. People see that and think I’m lazy, like I’m sitting on a bean bag somewhere ignoring my kid. Newsflash: I’m not. But, y’know, people online will weaponize anything. I could post about rescuing kittens and someone would say, ‘Bet he’s a bad father to those kittens, too.’”
Barry went on to explain why he’s not flooding social media with posts of his toddler. “The more people started watching my movies and asking if I was going to play every Joker in every alternate universe, the less I wanted to put my kid on my Instagram,” he said, probably while resisting the urge to launch his phone into the sun. “And because of that, people assume things. They start yelling ‘absent father,’ or worse. The nerve of some people. Honestly, it makes my blood pressure spike. I’ve had calmer moments wrestling raccoons, and they’re pretty bitey.”
Louis, possibly with that wise, concerned-uncle look on his face, suggested Barry stop reading the comments. But Barry had his reasons. “Look, when I have a spare minute between filming, lifting dumbbells, and trying to remember my lines, I do peek online,” he admitted. “Because, let’s face it, we’re all nosy. Especially when someone’s trash-talking your looks or your parenting skills. I’ve even banned certain words from my feed. And yes, ‘deadbeat’ is one of them. Sorry to disappoint, haters, but I’m here working hard and trying to provide the most stable dad life imaginable, complete with cartoons and macaroni art.”
Barry, who shares his son with his ex Alyson Sandro, has previously opened up about their co-parenting dynamics. Because, while he might not share every diaper change on TikTok, he’s still in the game. So, internet trolls, take a seat – Barry’s dad game might just be stronger than your Wi-Fi connection.