Barry Keoghan Was Once Banned From The Irish Theater Where Marvel's Eternals Premiered

With his outstanding performance in "Saltburn," Barry Keoghan has solidified himself as one of the most exciting and sought-after up-and-coming stars — and it's not just because of that provocative final shot. Sure, the TikTokers were all over "Saltburn" because of its generous helping of full-frontal Keoghan nudity, but the Irish star also delivered a truly unsettling performance as a disturbed student who becomes obsessed with Jacob Elordi's Felix and his upper-class family.

Anyone who followed Keoghan's career prior to "Saltburn" knew he was capable of such feats, especially those who'd seen his equally brilliant portrayal of disturbed teen Martin in 2017's "The Killing of a Sacred Deer." But it's not just the mentally unstable that Keoghan has a knack for playing so well, though that particular talent will no doubt come in handy when the actor has his proper debut as the Joker in Matt Reeves' Batman universe. The 31-year-old has also demonstrated an impressive range, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in Martin McDonagh's "The Banshees of Inisherin" in 2022.

All of which is pretty impressive, especially considering the obstacles Keoghan had to overcome to get where he is. Having lived in 13 foster homes as a child, the young Dublin-native lost his mum when he was just 12 years old, before moving in with his grandmother and aunt in the Summerhill area of Dublin. Fortunately, acting provided an outlet for him, even if, as he told the Irish Independent, he was banned from performing in school plays when he "misbehaved — not doing homework and skipping class." As it turns out, this wasn't the only experience the young Keoghan had with being banned for misbehaving, as the actor recently revealed he was also barred from his local cinema.

Barry Keoghan's commitment to playing the scheming Oliver in "Saltburn" led him to improvise one of the most riveting and unsettling scenes in the film, wherein his character shares an intimate moment with, well, a fresh grave. This dedication to the role amounted to a truly chilling and nuanced performance that proved once again how well the actor portrays antagonists. 

Perhaps part of the reason why he plays villains so well is that the man has a bit of a bad boy streak himself. Or at least, he did as a youngster. Aside from misbehaving in school, Keoghan revealed during his recent "Hot Ones" appearance that he was also banned from his local cinema for "being a brat." The actor explained that he was thrown out of the Cineworld on Parnell Street in Dublin for "running in and trying to watch movies," adding, "Honestly. Try to stop a kid from watching movies? You don't know. He could be a future Oscar nominee there. Just saying. [laughs] But then I had a premiere there!"

That premiere was for 2021's "Eternals," in which Keoghan starred as Druig — a moment the actor addressed in his "Hot Ones" appearance by saying, "I was like, 'Ha-ha! [wags finger] Ha-ha! Guess who's back?'" But as it turns out, this wasn't the first time Keoghan spoke about his Cineworld ban. In fact, there's quite a bit more to the story.

As it turns out, being barred from his local Cineworld didn't stop the young Barry Keoghan from trying to sneak his way back. On one particular occasion, he recruited his friend who happened to be the cousin of a Cineworld staff member named Rory Cashin. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, Cashin didn't let the pair into the theater. Years later, however, the former movie theater worker became an entertainment journalist and in 2021 found himself interviewing Keoghan for the "Eternals" release. During the interview, Cashin brought up his and Keoghan's shared history, which the actor appeared to take with good humor, replying:

"I wasn't going to say anything, but going through Cineworld last night, I remembered going there with your cousin Gary, being like 'Are you gonna let us in? This is your cousin and all!' and you were just like 'Nope, not getting in!' I was such a, pardon my French, but such a sh*t back then. I used to try to bunk in and [you] would catch me. But it was nice to have the premiere there last night and be allowed in. The irony!"

Interestingly enough, Keoghan's triumphant return for the "Eternals" premiere wasn't even his first time back at the Parnell Street Cineworld after becoming a successful actor. In a 2018 Guardian interview, the Irish star spoke about how one of his films had been given a festival premiere at that particular theater, adding, "I was thinking, 'What happens if I go to this premiere and I'm still barred? Would they let me in?'" Thankfully, Keoghan now has bigger worries than being banned from Cineworld, such as having to answer wild questions from "Saltburn" director Emerald Fennell and bringing a fresh approach to the Joker.