HEALTHBarry Keoghan Reveals He's an 'Addict' as He Reflects on Mom’s Heroin Addiction: 'I'm Not in Denial Anymore'
May 23 2025, Published 11:47 a.m. ET
Saltburn actor Barry Keoghan revealed he’s no longer able to deny his addiction as he reflected on his late mom’s past with heroin.
In an interview, the 32-year-old detailed his struggles with drugs, saying that despite the birth of his son, Brando, 2, he was still drawn to his bad habits.
“I’m not in denial anymore. I understand that I do have an addiction, and I am an addict,” Barry stated. “You know, when you accept that, you finally can move on and learn to work with it.”
Barry Keoghan Says He Has 'Scars to Prove' His Drug Addiction
The actor said he has 'scars to prove' he used drugs.
“I’ve got scars here to literally prove it,” he said of his addiction. “They’re a result of using. I’m at peace now and responsible for everything that I do. I’m accepting. I’m present. I’m content. I’m a father. I’m getting to just see that haze that was once there — it’s just a bit sharper now and colorful.”
Despite witnessing his mom’s addiction to heroin, Barry noted he felt an “enormous amount of pressure” from the Hollywood scene, which influenced his drug use throughout his career.
“I remember being kids here and hearing my mom scream through the letterbox, asking for us, while she’s battling addiction, while she’s looking for money to score,” the actor recalled.
Barry Keoghan's Family History With Drug Use
Several of the actor's family members have died from drug use.
He added, “And we were just told to stay in bed. We weren’t to go down and hug her.”
The Batman star went on to reveal many others in his family have struggled with drug addiction, saying that although he knew better, “your curiosity is a powerful thing.”
“My father passed away as a result of similar, and I lost my mom to it,” he said. “I’ve lost two uncles and a cousin to drugs. That should be enough to go, ‘OK, if I dabble here, I’m f-----.’”
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Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter split in December 2024.
Barry’s shocking remarks come after his split with pop artist Sabrina Carpenter in December 2024. The pair dated for about a year, and Sabrina hasn’t spoken publicly about her ex’s drug use.
Just one month after their breakup, Barry appeared to be in an emotional state, as he reflected on his relationship with his mother and how he was forced into foster care as she faced her addiction.
The actor was forced into foster care as a child.
“As I’ve got older and I’ve had my own son, I realized that it was such hard work for her and, you know, her and my father,” he said in a video for the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. “And luckily, there was a good care system there, which is massively important.”
