Irish actor Barry Keoghan responded to the toxic backlash he incurred following his breakup with pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
The chaos prompted him to delete his Instagram account.
Keoghan, known for his provocative performance in last year's Saltburn, and the "Espresso" singer had been dating off-and-on for about a year.
Rumors of them dating swirled when he starred in her music video, "Please, Please, Please," back in June. They reportedly met during Paris Fashion Week in September 2023 and made their red carpet debut together at the 2024 Met Gala.
They decided to "take a break," however, due to their busy careers.
On Saturday morning (December 7), Keoghan appeared to have ditched Instagram, indicated by the error response visitors received reading, "Sorry, this page isn't available."
Hours before his page was deactivated, the 32-year-old actor had posted a series of steamy gym mirror selfies in a green tank top, according to Billboard.
Keoghan's account on X (formerly Twitter) remains active, and he addressed the toxic chaos online following fan speculation that he cheated on Carpenter.
"I can only sit and take so much," he wrote.
"My name has been dragged across the internet in ways I usually don't respond to," he stated and explained he had to confront the unsettling issue "because it's gettin to a place where there are too many lines being crossed" and that he could "no longer let this stuff distract from my family and my work."
He continued:
“The messages I have received no person should ever have to read them. Absolute lies, hatred, disgusting commentary about my appearance, character, how I am as a parent and every other inhumane thing you can imagine.”
Keoghan was referring to rumors of his alleged infidelity that caused the split, which a spokesperson has denied while speaking to People magazine.
The accusation led to Carpenter fans harassing Keoghan's family members, including "knocking on my grannies door."
After minor stints on television when he was 18, Keoghan emerged onto the Hollywood scene in 2017 with featured roles in two films, including Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Now that he's gained recognition with an Academy Award nomination for the 2022 film The Banshees of Inisherin, and a Best Actor Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of the anti-hero Oliver Quick in Saltburn, Keoghan said he is trying to focus on his career and everything he's "worked extremely hard for and stand for".
He is also trying to be protective of his 2-year-old son Brando, whom he had with his ex-partner, Alyson Kierans, a dental nurse and orthodontic therapist.
"Each and every day I work harder to push myself on every level to be the healthiest and strongest person for that boy," he said.
You can see a screenshot of his entire post here, which he captioned, "Please be respectful, X."
@BarryKeoghan/X
People supported the actor and expressed shock at how he's been treated.
Keoghan's spokesperson maintained the split with Carpenter was amicable.
The source said:
"He was a fantastic boyfriend to her and was very present through all she was going through as her career took off – he worked very hard to be there for her when she needed someone most."
"They had a great relationship and he really cared deeply about her – which you could see via the comments he would often leave on her Instagram page."
In terms of the infidelity rumors, the spokesperson said of Keoghan:
"He was always very faithful to her from the start, there was no third party involved in their break or at any other point in their relationship. Reports indicating otherwise are entirely fabricated."
The source added that both Keoghan and Carpenter were "young and career-focused" and that they've "decided to take a break."
AMC
