Barry Keoghan reveals he prays to his late mother every day after losing her to heroin addiction at age 12

Barry Keoghan has revealed he prays to his mother ‘every day’ after her death 19 years ago.

The Oscar-nominated actor, 31, was just 12 years old when his mother Debbie died of a heroin overdose and he had no relationship with his father.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, he opened up about his experiences and revealed that losing his mother was ‘no shock’, adding: ‘But oh, she was so beautiful.’

Barry keeps his mother’s memory alive with a silver bracelet he wears, which has her name engraved on it, and told the publication ‘I pray to her every day.’

He added that he and his younger brother Eric spent much of their childhood visiting her in the hospital when she suffered from drug-related illnesses, recalling, “I would do this Elvis dance for her.” They had just re-released A Little Less Conversation, she loved it.”

Sad news: the Oscar-nominated actor, 31, was just 12 years old when his mother Debbie died of a heroin overdose (pictured with brother Eric)

He added, “I was working with Austin (Butler, who played Elvis in the Baz Luhrmann biopic, and who stars with Barry in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming miniseries Masters of the Air) and I shared that memory and started the to do a dance for him…’

Barry had a tumultuous childhood due to his mother’s addiction and when he was five, Barry and his younger brother Eric went into foster care. They lived in thirteen different houses before moving into his aunt and grandmother’s two-bedroom flat.

Barry explained: ‘My cousin, who I call my sister, was fifteen and gave up her bedroom for us – until five years ago she slept in a room with my aunt. I owe them all so much.”

He added: ‘My family is most concerned about my well-being these days, all (star) matters are secondary to them… But they have a good chat about it in the pub! They’re getting their pints in.’

Barry struggled at school, where he was considered a naughty student, and after being expelled, he acted out for ‘messing around’, but previously revealed that acting helped him overcome some of his childhood trauma, after initially pursuing a career in boxing. football.

The actor went on to star in international blockbusters such as The Eternals and Batman before winning critical acclaim for his role as Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin.

It will next hit screens in Saltburn, which hits cinemas on November 17.

Written and directed by Academy Award winner Emerald Fennell, the film centers on Barry’s character Oliver Quick and his aristocratic friend Felix Catton, played by Jacob.

Wow: Barry revealed that acting helped him overcome the trauma of his childhood and last year he won critical acclaim for his role opposite Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin

Earlier this year it was revealed that Barry had split from his girlfriend of two and a half years, Alyson Kierans.

The Banshees of Inisherin star and Alyson, 35, made their red carpet debut in October 2021 and welcomed a son together, Brando, in August 2022.

Yet the couple, who are private about their romance, went their separate ways in July, with sources describing the split as ‘incredibly sad’.

They are still ‘determined to do what is best for their son’ after deciding to split following arguments over late night partying, according to The Sun.

“They have been growing apart over the past few months and things have finally come to a head,” a source told the publication. “As far as she’s concerned, it’s over.”

Irish actor Barry, who won a BAFTA for his supporting role in The Banshees of Inisherin, met dentist Alyson in a London bar in February 2021.

Sad news: Earlier this year it was revealed that Barry had split from his girlfriend of two and a half years, Alyson Kierans (pictured at the Academy Awards in March)