Saltburn star Barry Keoghan spent 7 years in foster care in 13 different homes before achieving Oscar nomination
Nominated for an Oscar at the beginning of this year, Barry Keoghan has had quite the rise to fame after a pretty tough childhood.
The Saltburn actor spent seven years in foster care in 13 different homes before becoming a film star.
Keoghan was nominated for Best Supporting Actor earlier this year for The Banshees of Inisherin and is now tipped to be nominated again for his performance in Saltburn.
Advert
He’s already nominated for Best Actor for playing Oliver Quick in the film at the Golden Globes, a role that’s left audiences pretty shocked.
I mean, give the lad his flowers for that bathtub ‘c*m’ drinking scene.
Before appearing in the Emerald Fennell film (that people can currently stream for free), Keoghan was also known for roles in Dunkirk, Chernobyl and Top Boy.
And with his fame continuing to rise, fans previously discussed his much more humble beginnings.
The 31-year-old first entered the care system at the age of 12 shortly after his mother, who had been battling with heroin addiction, died.
Along with his brother Eric, the Eternals actor was moved between 13 different homes before eventually being raised by his grandmother and older sister Gemma.
Commenting on his troubled childhood, he told The Irish Times: “I have been through… it wasn’t really nice. And that does make you a solid man. It makes you deal with things a lot better.”
In a bid to escape his childhood, Keoghan spent much of his childhood sneaking into the local cinema with friends.
It was here when the actor gained his love of film.
However, the Golden Globes nominee hadn’t considered acting until he saw casting notice in a shop window as a 19-year-old.
He replied and incredibly landed his first role in the independent crime film Between the Canals, despite only having ever acted in school plays.
Keen to pursue his passion for film, Keoghan went on to study at The Factory, a Dublin based drama school, but struggled to survive during his education.
He told The Irish Independent that he vividly remembered 'not even having €2.20 to get the bus to The Factory'.
Despite his rapid rise to fame, with roles in critically acclaimed projects such as The Batman, the actor has remained humble about his success.
“Fame is not my version of success. For me it’s being happy and making sure everyone around me is too,” he added.
In addition to his recent Golden Globes nod, Keoghan has previously won a slew of awards, including Bafta’s EE Rising Star back in 2019.
Topics: Celebrity, Oscars, TV and Film, Barry Keoghan
Jess Battison