Actor Barry Keoghan has teamed up with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to launch new initiative, Children’s Care, that will focus on the global improvement of child welfare – just two months after responding to his ‘deadbeat dad’ label.
The Sunday saw the launch of the child welfare project, providing the perfect space and platform for the 32 year old to open up about his experiences in the press since splitting up with ex wife, Alyson Kierans, in 2023. Keoghan shared how becoming a father made the actor realise the huge effort it takes parenting a child and the passing of his mother aged 12 due to a difficult relationship with substance abuse.
The Saltburn star “realized that it was such hard work for her and my father,’ and highlighted how lucky he was that “there was a good care system” in place – “which is massively important”. Heartbreakingly, the father of Brando, 2, moved through 13 foster homes after his mother’s death and now uses his Hollywood platform to advocate for children and social care.
Committing to the cause, the actor said: “You can use your platform and profile to shine light on things, and anything to do with kids and care, I’m always wanting to help and shine a light on it, and get attention to it”.
Barry finally found a stable home with his grandmother, however claims the experience in social care still ‘haunts’ him; the actor explains you never forget “waiting on the social worker’s steps” for the “new family to come and play with you in the playground and see if it’s going to work”.
The actor reflected on feeling uprooted and moved “to a whole new area and a whole new home”. Keoghan specified “the car journeys there” as one of the things that haunt” and states that he does not blame his mother, saying “It’s a sickness”.
Barry’s difficult childhood and previous activism has lead to the point of this launch. In a heartfelt speech, Barry described the Foreign Secretary as “such a wonderful man” and described how they plan to share their “stories and upbringing by coming together to do everything we can to make sure all care systems function in the interest of children around the globe, and that no child is left behind”.
The honourable campaign follows ongoing accusations of Barry to be an ‘absent father’ that have followed the actor’s now-ended relationship with pop sensation, Sabrina Carpenter. In an interview with Louis Theroux, Keoghan fought against the ‘slander’.
He explained further, saying: “Of course, [my childhood] is going to affect me being a father when I had no blueprint to take from,” saying people label it as “laziness” and “no excuse to be an absent father.” In a clear statement, Barry insisted on the podcast that he was not. The dad called out “the audacity of some people” and shared how it ‘sickened’ him and made him ‘furious’.
Barry told The Sunday Times that he still prays for his mother daily, even after 19 years of her passing, as it left an ‘indelible mark’ on him.
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