Irish actor Barry Keoghan has spoken out about the intense online harassment he faced following his 2024 breakup with pop star Sabrina Carpenter, revealing that the experience pushed him to withdraw from public life.
In a recent interview on "The Morning Mash Up," Keoghan shared that the negative comments, especially about his appearance, became overwhelming.
"There's a lot of hate online. It's a lot of abuse of how I look," he said, explaining how the constant criticism affected him deeply. He admitted that while he stepped away from social media, curiosity still led him to check public reactions, which he described as painful.
According to Billboard, the actor said the backlash made him isolate himself. "It's made me shy away, it's made me really go inside myself and not want to attend places, not want to go outside," he shared.
According to Keoghan, the situation grew serious enough that it began affecting not just his personal life but also his passion for acting.
"It's becoming a problem," he explained. "When that starts leaking into your art, it becomes a problem because then you don't even want to be on screen anymore."
His comments highlight how online behavior can impact even those used to being in the spotlight.
Online hate pushed Barry Keoghan to the point of not wanting to leave his house. 😔
— Ian Speed (@IanSpeedHQ) March 22, 2026
The actor opened up about the relentless abuse over his appearance saying it’s gone so far beyond normal criticism that it’s now affecting his mental health, his confidence, and worst of all his… pic.twitter.com/MGIuA7Z7za
Barry Keoghan Says Harassment Forced Him Offline
After his split from Carpenter in December 2024, Keoghan chose to deactivate his Instagram account.
In a statement posted at the time, he said, "I can only sit and take so much," adding that the messages he received included "absolute lies, hatred, disgusting commentary" about many aspects of his life, including his role as a parent.
Despite the negativity, Keoghan also acknowledged that not all fan interactions have been harmful. He noted that he still values meeting supporters in person, describing those moments as meaningful and encouraging.
The actor also expressed concern about how the online hate could affect his young son in the future.
"It is disappointing... that my little boy has to read all of this stuff when he gets older," he said, pointing to the lasting impact such comments can have beyond the present moment, PageSix reported.
Keoghan and Carpenter dated for about a year before deciding to part ways, reportedly due to their busy careers. Their relationship had drawn attention since late 2023, including a public appearance together and a collaboration in her music video.
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