Barry Keoghan has addressed the harsh comments about his looks and personal life that have followed him online.
Image: Instagram.
Barry Keoghan has opened up about the significant impact online criticism has had on him, particularly following his breakup with pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
The "Saltburn" actor revealed that persistent comments about his appearance and personal life have led him to step back from social media and even question his future in the industry.
“There’s a lot of hate online. It’s a lot of abuse of how I look,” Keoghan said. He added that the negativity has affected his willingness to appear in public.
“It’s becoming a problem. I don’t have to hide away because I am hiding away. I don’t have to go to places because I actually don’t go to places because of these things.”
Keoghan also acknowledged the effect online negativity has on his creative work. “Then you don’t even want to be on screen anymore,” he explained, highlighting the broader challenges of navigating fame under constant scrutiny.
A central concern for the actor is the well-being of his three-year-old son, Brando, whom he shares with former partner Alyson Sandro.
Keoghan expressed worry that his child may one day encounter the harsh comments aimed at him. “It is disappointing for the fans, but it’s also disappointing that my little boy has to read all of this stuff when he gets older,” he said.
Keoghan has previously spoken about protecting Brando from public scrutiny. After initially sharing photos of his son online, he chose to stop due to criticism regarding his parenting.
“Because I reigned that in, people draw a narrative and go, ‘Absent father, s—t, deadbeat dad,’ and more disgusting things I wouldn’t even repeat,” he said during a November 2025 episode of the "Louis Theroux Podcast". “Just the audacity of some people, man, it sickens me. It makes me furious.”
However, fans are rallying behind Keoghan. Social media users are pushing back against the online negativity, reminding the actor and the public that criticism does not define someone’s worth.
One user, @newt_kiters, took to X to share their support: “Had to throw out some love for Barry Keoghan. I think he’s not only handsome but he’s a terrific actor also. Got some hate on TikTok for my appreciation towards him he doesn’t seem to be as popular as I think he is… I think he’s smashing.”
One user highlighted the wider pressures that come with fame in the digital age.
@GreenfordBlog wrote on X: “It makes it even worse when you realise just how much he has overcome to achieve this degree of fame. I feel access to social media has exacerbated and drawn out mental illness in some users. They've always been out there but this has amplified it.”
Keoghan’s candid reflections shine a light on a problem that extends far beyond one celebrity. Online abuse and cyberbullying are not isolated incidents, they’re part of a much wider global issue with real-world consequences for mental health.
Research shows that cyberbullying and harmful online interactions are increasingly recognised as significant contributors to psychological distress across age groups.