Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Barry Keoghan's life from traumatic childhood to Oscar nomination and fashion icon status

Many will be rooting for Barry Keoghan to bag an Oscar over in America tonight, thanks to his stellar performance in The Banshees of Inisherin alongside Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell.

But a win for the Irish star would also mark an incredible conclusion to a rags-to-riches style story that could easily be the plot of a Hollywood movie.

The talented actor, 30, had a very different start in life compared to many of his industry peers, with the dad-of-one spending several years of his childhood in foster care thanks to the death of his mother.

Keoghan - who is up against his The Banshees of Inisherin co-star Gleeson for Actor in a Supporting Role at the Oscars this evening - was born in 1992 and grew up in Summerhill, a Dublin neighborhood.

The BAFTA winner may be adding an Oscar to his trophy cabinet this evening in America (Corbis via Getty Images)

The Chernobyl actor and his brother Eric spent many years of their childhood in the foster care system, due to their mother battling addiction issues, and by the age of 10, Keoghan had lived in 13 different foster homes.

Keoghan has been hailed as inspirational by other young people who have also experienced the care system, with many thanking him for breaking a stigma by sharing his story.

"I think that it is really inspiring and encouraging to hear that somebody of care experience has been nominated for an Oscar," one care leaver the Express and Star when discussing the actor's story earlier this year.

"I mean, we start life with the odds stacked against us so it’s really re-affirming to hear these success stories."

The actor, pictured here with Steven Spielberg, has helped others thanks to sharing his story (Getty Images for Moët and Chando)

Keoghan's mother passed away when he was just 12-years-old, with The Batman actor recalling her death when speaking on RTÉ's The Late Late Show in 2019.

"She was very young [when she died], she was 31," he said on the show. "I have great memories of her. I'm very proud of her."

Keoghan and his brother eventually found a more permanent home, going on to live with their grandmother Patrica.

While living with his 'nanny', the Oscar nominee developed a love of film and found himself engrossed in movies starring the likes of James Dean and Marlon Brandon, which inspired him to start working on impressions.

By the age of 16, Keoghan's career was already taking shape, thanks to the BAFTA-winning star landing a role the Irish crime drama Between the Canals thanks to an open casting call.

Keoghan's co-star Farrell is also up for an Oscar this evening (Searchlight Pictures/Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)

His debut acting gig saw The Batman actor go on to attend at Dublin's prestigious acting school The Factory (now known as Bow Street Academy) and set him up for an incredible rise to stardom.

Over the years, Keoghan has appeared in films such as Dunkirk, The Green Knight and '71, alongside TV show stints in Love/Hate and Masters of the Air, but it was his turn as Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin that propelled him to global stardom last year.

The Irish star even picked up the gong for Best Supporting Actor at the EE BAFTA Film Awards last month for his performance in the Martin McDonagh black tragicomedy film.

Keoghan's red carpet looks over recent months have seen him hailed as a future fashion icon (BAFTA via Getty Images)
The actor and his son with his co-star, 'Uncle Col' at the BAFTA ceremony last month (@keoghan92/Instagram)

The 30-year-old actor said he "should have planned this, really" before thanking his co-stars and Ireland as he accepted the award on stage in London on February 19.

The BAFTA winner also dedicated the honour to children from the area he comes from, before going on to reveal the sweet way he planned to celebrate shortly afterwards.

"I’m going to go home now and cuddle my son," the dad-of-one confessed when speaking in the winners room minutes on from leaving the stage. "Go home and cuddle him."

The actor shares his son Brando, named after acting legend Marlon Brando, with his partner of almost two-years Alyson Kierans.

The happy couple became parents for the first time last year when their son was born (keoghan92/Instagram)

It's believed Keoghan began dating the dentist around September 2021, with the happy couple announcing the birth of the first child together the following year in August.

Away from his glittering career and blissful family life, Keoghan is also setting the world of fashion alight - with the talented star impressing stylists with his red carpet looks and gracing the covers of high-end fashion magazines.

All eyes will be on Keoghan this evening and what he's wearing once again, as he prepares to continue his successful year so far and possible add an Oscar to his growing trophy collection.

* Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.