BARRY Keoghan has been open about his traumatic childhood before, but his latest revelation is a real tear-jerker.
The Saltburn hunk, originally from Summerhill in Dublin, endured a tough early life with his mother battling drug addiction and he had no relationship with his father.
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Barry and his brother Eric found themselves living in between 14 different foster homes from the ages of five to nine.
At nine, the Irish actor’s granny, Pattie, decided to take care of himself and Eric in her home in Mount Joy.
Keoghan’s mum, Debbie, passed away three years later when he was just 12 years old, following a heroin overdose.
The 32-year-old’s grandmother lost three of her 10 children to drugs. his mother, Debbie, the second youngest, was tragically one of them.
While visiting Pattie’s home in Dublin with Hollywood Authentic, the Oscar-nominated star described one horrifying night he was sleeping in his granny’s.
He said: “I remember being kids here and hearing my mum scream through the mailbox.
“She was asking for us, while she was battling addiction and looking for money to score. And we were just told to stay in bed. We weren’t to go down and hug her.”
With their gruelling childhood now behind them, Eric was asked what kind of brother Barry was growing up.
The doting sibling answered: “We were partners. But when push came to shove, he would be my protector. He still is.
“I look to him as a father figure type of thing. And he’s helped me. When we were kids social services tried to separate me and Barry because no one wants to take two kids together.
“It was complex but they kept us together… We were inseparable for years.”
Barry also lifted the lid on his own struggles with addiction and confessed: “I’m not in denial anymore. I understand that I do have an addiction, and I am an addict.”
The dad-of-one told how he did a stint at rehab after his behaviour began to cause harm to himself and others around him.
Now, thankfully, the movie star said: “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 colourful.”
COME TOGETHER
The Dublin-born actor and Paul Mescal are set to star in a movie together for the first time as the Beatles.
Paul, 29, will be taking on the role of Paul McCartney while Barry will be playing Ringo Starr.
The Beatles are teaming up with director Sam Mendes for a series of huge feature length films.
It is a massive move, as the band have never given their full support for a scripted film about their lives.
Sam, who is behind huge movies including James Bond film Skyfall and American Beauty, will direct four separate films telling the stories of Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison.
As well as telling their individual stories, the films will reveal how each member of the group coped with their phenomenal rise and the aftermath of their split in April 1970.
John Lennon will be starred by Harris Dickinson and Paul’s Gladiator II co-star Joseph Quinn has been cast as George Harrison.
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