Irish actor Barry Keoghan stars alongside Peaky Blinders’ Cillian Murphy in the new Netflix film The Immortal Man
Barry Keoghan spills the beans on the no-nonsense work ethic on the Peaky Blinders movie set, led by none other than Cillian Murphy.
Teasing his prime role alongside his countryman Cillian in this year’s anticipated film, which picks up the tale of Tommy Shelby and his infamous Birmingham gangster clan, Barry praises the star’s relentless drive. He revealed, “There is no slacking for him. And it is not in an intimidating way. It is in a way that he does not settle for less. He has an athlete’s approach to it. Cillian is such a legend.”
The forthcoming Netflix feature, The Immortal Man, unfolds amidst World War II, featuring Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth, and sees familiar faces from the beloved BBC series returning to the screen.
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Reflecting on encountering Cillian suited up as Tommy Shelby during a screen test, 32-year-old Barry recalls, “He was more excited to see me in my costume. He was like, ‘Ah man, look at you.'”
Barry, embodying the Duke’s formidability (his role in the flick), opines on Cillian’s subtle influence, stating, “He does not say anything, but you feel it,” reports the Mirror.
Embracing Cillian’s hearty dedication, Barry goes all-in for his fresh gig as Ringo Starr in the latest Beatles biopic, hanging up his boxing gloves – his second passion after acting – for the stellar portrayal.
Northern Irish actor Barry Keoghan, who landed the coveted role of Ringo Starr in Sam Mendes’ upcoming biopic, shares his thoughts on preparing for the part. As a seasoned boxer, he notes, “I have boxed for years now. But they will kill me if I go and break my hand. Obviously, I can’t miss the drumming.”
Having overcome a tumultuous childhood marked by tragedy, including the loss of his mother to a heroin overdose at age 12, Barry found solace in acting. He and his siblings spent time in foster care before being raised by their grandmother.
Barry has spoken candidly about the devastating impact of addiction on his family, having lost several loved ones, including his father, uncles, and a cousin, to substance abuse. Now sober after battling his own addiction issues, he acknowledges the demanding filming schedule for the Beatles movie, saying, “It is The Beatles now for the next 15 months at least. It is really focused and committed because it is four movies.”
Despite his success, Barry remains driven to improve, stating, “I will always try and do better. My approach to The Beatles movie is entirely different to anything I have ever done.”
Barry, who was more inclined towards a boxing career than acting in his younger years, only started participating in school plays as an excuse to skip class. One day, near his boxing club, he noticed an ad in a shop window seeking non-actors – and made the life-changing phone call.
After landing that role in Between The Canals in 2011, he began applying to Irish dance and drama schools – but faced rejection. “I did not get into any. I was lost,” he admits.
“I had just finished school. It was like having your confidence knocked out.”
Eventually, he found a place willing to accept him. He shares, “The Factory was not an acting school – it was more of a place of pure collaboration and had an experimental approach.”
His breakthrough came with a role in the series Love/Hate in 2013, which revolved around organized crime in Dublin, making him a household name in Ireland. Once again, he adopted an experimental approach to his acting, saying: “I was doing Love/Hate and I went to Galway and rented an Airbnb. I met these lads and I wanted to learn how these lads walked and talked. Then I went back to Dublin.”
Barry Keoghan’s knack for embodying intricate characters earned him a standout role in the 2017 film The Killing of a Sacred Deer alongside Nicole Kidman, where he soaked up as much knowledge as possible from the Hollywood heavyweight. “To go from Love/Hate to Scared Deer was insane,” he reminisced.
“It was the first time I ever had control (as an actor). Nicole is a genius. “I had a baby-like approach – the way babies look at you and absorb.”
In the same year, his performance in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, acting with pop sensation Harry Styles, garnered acclaim. Back then, the hardworking actor had to prove himself through auditions, including for his part as a soldier in the WWII saga.
“I did an audition tape for Dunkirk, and I remember we had to look at tennis balls to take the attention off what I was saying – and I got the part,” he shared.
After receiving an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor in 2023 for The Banshees, Keoghan has reached a point where auditions are no longer a necessity, yet he remains humble about his success. “Your last work is your best work,” he asserts.
“A director sometimes needs to be shown (an audition tape). It shows you delivering.”
Even so, he went the extra mile for The Beatles project, eager to secure the role of Ringo Starr. “I might sound a dick, but no (I don’t have to audition anymore). But like for The Beatles for example, I grabbed a Ringo clip online and I got some friends in New York to shoot it in black and white in this hotel,” he explained.
Barry Keoghan gave some insight into his acting approach, “I gave my version of it, not to mimic Ringo, I wanted to show that I was committed.”
He used a unique strategy to land a role in the 2022 Joker film, “I saw that they wanted the Riddler, so I made a short Batman film and got this lady in LA to shoot it. I wanted to make it like Stanley Kubrick and I bought a hat and a cane and walked slowly down the corridor,” he recounted.
Although he didn’t snag the role of the Riddler as it had already been cast, Barry’s efforts weren’t in vain—he secured the part of the Joker, which unfortunately didn’t make the final cut. His dedication extends to his personal life too; his son born in August 2022 with ex-partner Alyson Sandro is named Brando, after the iconic star of The Godfather.
Recently seen mingling with songstress Sabrina Carpenter, appearing in her music video and earning her praise as one of her best collaborations, Barry shared his secret to captivating audiences, “I was always told that you treat the camera like you are playing hard to get. You don’t have to necessarily say anything. The eyes say everything really,”.
The Irish actor also offered advice about maintaining authenticity in performances, “I always look at young actors in their first movie or in their second and they have this unstructured approach to it,” he observes. “And then they are told they are an actor – and they get lost and lose their instinct. I always look at that for myself. Every approach, I look at a movie like it is my first movie.”
The Dublin lad, who rose from humble beginnings, feels incredibly “blessed” and aims to motivate youngsters from his hometown to break free and realize their aspirations.
“I want to make this story of where I came from, and get people on board who are not actors,” he explains. “It is encouraging kids to have some sort of faith and belief that no matter where you come from… it shouldn’t hold you back.”
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