Barry Keoghan's son Brando whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend Alyson Sandro is 2 years old. During an appearance on Louis Theroux's The Louis Theroux Podcast which is available on Spotify from November 5, Barry Keoghan denies social media accusations that he is an "absent father."
The actor opened up about his childhood and growing up in foster care following his mother's death after her drug addiction struggle. The actor reasoned that his childhood has affected his parenting skills,
"Of course, (my childhood) is going to affect me being a father when I had no blueprint to take from. People just read that (as) laziness and go, 'Oh, that's no excuse to be an absent father.' I'm not an absent father. But it's just, again, people love to use my son as ammunition or whatever."
Barry added that due to social media criticism about him being a father, he posts less of Brando since he doesn't find it "fair" for Brando to have an online presence.
"People draw a narrative and go 'absent father, (expletive), deadbeat dad', and more disgusting things I wouldn't even reapeat. Just the audacity of some people, man. It sickens me, makes me furious."
Barry Keoghan on why he doesn't have a "normal" relationship with his son
Earlier while speaking to Entertainment Weekly in September, Barry Keoghan revealed that since he hasn't had a father figure, his relationship with his son doesn't seem so "normal."
"I'll just say this - I didn't have a father figure growing up, so even my relationship with my son isn't quite of the normal father-son relationship because I don't have that figure to draw experience from and to base it on."
Keoghan revealed that while becoming a father has not changed him, it has affected the choices he makes for his career. The actor said he feels a "responsibility" and an "enormous amount of pressure." He added that when his son looks at him he feels like the "most important person in the world" and when he smiles at him the actor feels that he doesn't "deserve" it.
The Irish actor welcomed Brando with his ex-girlfriend Alyson Sandro while he was shooting Emerald Fennell's Saltburn in 2022. The actor called the birth of his son the "best time" of his life and described Sandro as an "incredible mother."
The couple dated for almost 3 years before reportedly breaking up during the summer of 2023.