Barry Keoghan Opens Up About How His Late Mother Haunts Him; ‘Screaming Through The Letterbox’ Begging For Money

Actor Barry Keoghan candidly shares the emotional weight of his childhood experiences, revealing how his late mother’s struggle with heroin addiction continues to affect him.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Nov 05, 2024 | 04:56 PM IST | 98.1K

Barry Keoghan (via Getty Images)

Barry Keoghan has often shared the challenges of his early years, including the impact of his mother's heroin addiction. Barry's mother passed away from an overdose when he was just 12 years old.

He and his younger brother, Eric, entered foster care at the age of 5, living in over a dozen different homes by the time Barry turned 9. Despite these hardships, Barry has remained open about his experiences, aiming to inspire others facing similar situations.

In an in-depth interview on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Barry Keoghan spoke candidly about his childhood. He remembered the day he and Eric were told about their mother's death, calling it "the worst day of my life.”

Barry described how he and Eric were raised by their grandmother and aunt after being removed from the foster care system. They all lived together in a two-bedroom house in Summerhill, a low-income area of Dublin. Barry recalls, “It wasn’t a nice day; it was the worst day of my life... but it made me stronger.”

Barry spoke fondly of his mother, describing her as lovely and gorgeous, standing nearly six feet tall. He spoke about the heroin epidemic in Summerhill that affected many families, including his own. Barry stated, “It caught my mom, it caught my uncle, who died of it, and caught my father as well.”

The actor also resonated with the film The Basketball Diaries, which tells the story of Jim Carroll's addiction to heroin. He recalled a particular scene where Jim begs his mother for money while suffering from withdrawal.

Barry revealed that a similar scene played out in his own life: “There was a scene in that movie where he comes to the front door, and that actual scene happened at my granny's house.” He recalled, “I remember laying in bed and [my mom] screaming through the letterbox, just wanting money… that haunts me.”

Despite these memories, Barry made it clear he holds no resentment towards his mother for her addiction. He stated, “I don’t blame her. It’s a sickness. She was just unable to look after us.” Barry acknowledged the stigma surrounding addiction and the challenges it posed for his family.

Barry's time in foster care has left a lasting impact on him. He shared that the frequent changes in his living situation led to significant trust issues. He stated, “When you get attached to a family and then: ‘Oh, you’ve got to go [to another foster home] now.’”

This instability shaped his understanding of relationships, making it hard for him to trust others. Barry said, “I never trusted when someone said they love me; I never trusted the process ever.”

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