‘Peaky Blinders’ Star Barry Keoghan Discusses Online Attacks and New Chapter

Barry Keoghan is sharing insights about a challenging time in his life, expressing that he is now embarking on a “new chapter” focused solely on his craft. The Irish actor discussed this transition while promoting his upcoming film ‘Butterfly Jam’, which is set to debut at the Cannes Film Festival.

Keoghan mentioned his desire to move beyond negativity and concentrate on acting rather than online scrutiny. He stated, “I want to step into a new chapter of my life where I let my work speak for me…” He emphasized his intention to leave the negativity behind, adding, “I want to close the book on it, put my head up, have a smile and enjoy the moment.”

Over the past year, Keoghan has endured a significant amount of online abuse, particularly following his breakup with singer Sabrina Carpenter in late 2024. After the split, social media was inundated with harsh remarks about him, with some users ridiculing his appearance and others spreading unfounded rumors about infidelity, which he has denied.

In a more direct conversation during an interview with SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up, Keoghan addressed the situation, revealing how the relentless negativity online has profoundly impacted him and altered his public interactions.

“There’s a lot of hate online,” he remarked. “There’s a lot of abuse of how I look, and it’s kind of past the point of — you know, everyone goes through that… but it’s made me shy away. It’s made me really go inside myself, not want to attend places, not want to go outside.”

He also revealed that he has distanced himself from social media due to its detrimental effects on his mental health. Even when he checks responses after premieres, he admitted that the feedback is often still harsh.

Keoghan explained that this situation has impacted his confidence and career perspective. “When that starts leaking into your art, it becomes a problem, because then you don’t want to even be on screen anymore.” He also expressed concerns about his young son Brando potentially encountering negative comments about him in the future.

Despite these challenges, Keoghan is actively working and is returning to Cannes for the third time with ‘Butterfly Jam’, directed by Kantemir Balagov. The film tells the story of siblings managing a struggling diner and features Keoghan alongside Riley Keough.

Additionally, he is filming ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’, where he portrays Ringo Starr. Discussing his current acting approach, he mentioned that he is now much more selective about the roles he takes on.

“I carefully, cautiously pick because I just want to enjoy, and I want to heal, I want to tell, I want to find, I want to explore,” he shared. “I want to discover all of those things while I’m making a movie with people who are like-minded.”

Keoghan briefly touched on his role in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ film, expressing enjoyment from the experience but refraining from elaborating on why he will not return for the upcoming series continuation.

He emphasizes that this new phase of his life is about distancing himself from online distractions and concentrating on his work and personal growth.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!