Barry Keoghan’s shock statement after being ‘dragged’ by internet amid Sabrina Carpenter split

Irish actor Barry Keoghan has lashed out at the online trolls attacking him following his highly publicised split from singer Sabrina Carpenter.

He hit back at the haters on X after deactivating his Instagram account in the wake of the backlash.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Barry Keoghan breaks the internet with Vanity Fair shoot.

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

“I can only sit and take so much. My name has been dragged across the internet in ways I usually don’t respond too,” the Saltburn actor began on December 8.

“I have to respond now because it’s getting to a place where there are too many lines being crossed.

“I deactivated my account because I can no longer let this stuff distract from my family and my work. The messages I have received no person should ever have to read them”.

Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter have ended their one-year relationship. Credit: Dave Benett/VF24/WireImage for Vanity Fair

“Absolute lies, hatred, disgusting commentary about my appearance, character, how I am as a parent and every other inhumane thing you can imagine,” he continued.

“Dragging my character and everything I worked extremely hard for and stand for. Talking about how I was a heroine baby and how I grew up and dragging my dear mother into it also. Knocking on my grannies (sic) door.

In particular, he lashed behaviour around his two-year-old son Brando, whom he shares with ex-partner Alyson Kierans.

“Sitting outside my baby boy’s house intimidating them. That’s crossing a line. Each and every day I work harder to push myself on every level to be the healthiest and strongest person for that boy.

“I want to provide opportunities for him to learn, fail and grow. I want him to be able to look up to his daddy, to have full trust in me and know I will have his back no matter what.

“I need you to remember he has to read ALL of this about his father when he is older. Please be respectful to all. Thank you x.”

The rare statement from Keoghan comes after he deactivated his Instagram account, @keoghan92, which famously only followed Carpenter.

Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter. Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum

Last week, Keoghan was hit by reports that he cheated on the Short n’ Sweet singer one year into their highly publicised relationship.

Rumours began swirling online that he cheated with OnlyFans and TikTok star Breckie Hill.

Hill has since denied the reports, claiming that she has never met Keoghan.

“To put it simply for you all, no, I did not get with Barry. I have never encountered this man in my life. The only time I’ve seen him is on my TV from watching Saltburn,” she said in a TikTok video.

A source close to Keoghan has since told People he was “at his strongest and happiest and is the best version of himself” despite the split.

“He has been very resilient and triumphed through a lot to be in this place,” the source said.

“He worked hard to get here and remains focused and though he and Sabrina are on a break, that isn’t setting him back in any way, he has a lot of fortitude.”

Barry Keoghan and ex-girlfriend Sabrina Carpenter. Credit: keoghan92/Instagram

Carpenter and Keoghan were first linked in December 2023 and in the last year Keoghan was spotted at her various performances across Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, at Coachella and her own Short n’ Sweet US tour.

He notably starred in her music video for Please Please Please.

““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,” the source added.

“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.”

Keoghan statement comes just weeks after he opened up about the damaging impact of social media abuse during an interview on The Louis Theroux Podcast that dropped on November 5.

“People kind of have a judgement on me as a parent,” Keoghan said.

“I’m like, well, until you’ve walked a day in my shoes growing up as a kid, then you can comment … there’s a lot online. If I didn’t have tough skin or the strength I have, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”

Barry Keoghan has slammed ‘disgusting’ comments regarding his parenting. Credit: Olivia Wong/Getty Images

The former couple met in a London bar in 2021 and Kierans gave birth to son Brando in August 2022.

Keoghan, who grew up in foster care, admitted the harsh online comments about his approach to parenting hit particularly hard because he lacked a father figure growing up.

“Of course it’s going to affect me being a father when I had no blueprint to take from,” he said.

Keoghan said he had shared less of his son on social media as his fame increased, because he feared for Brando’s privacy and safety.

“The more in the public I’ve become, the less I’ve posted about my child, because I don’t think it’s fair to put my child online. There’s sick people out there,” he explained.

The actor, also known for his Oscar-nominated role in The Banshees of Inisherin, added that this decision had led to unfair criticism online he was an “absent father”.

“People draw a narrative and go ‘absent father’, ‘s*** deadbeat dad’ and more disgusting things that I wouldn’t even repeat.

“Just the audacity of some people, man, it sickens me and makes me furious.”