Barry Keoghan’s manifesting manifesto master class

Courtesy of Carrie Heather

Barry Keoghan once had his stage-acting privileges revoked in school because of his disruptive behavior in class — a theme of his childhood.

 “I loved the idea of disappearing and I loved the idea of being someone else … I was just addicted to it,” he said. “I thought my dreams of becoming an actor were gone.”

Fortunately, Keoghan’s career continued to progress past academic setbacks. He spotted an advertisement for a low-budget film, a rare production in his hometown of Dublin. He secretly used his grandma’s phone to call the director directly for more information on the open call audition. Booking the role led him to find his love for screen acting.

“There was something in the feeling of when that camera goes up,” he said. “I just felt right. 
I felt normal. I felt like I was in a place of not having to try.” 

Keoghan recently stopped by the Folino Theater on March 16 to chat with Chapman screen actors filling the front rows. Following a screening of his latest film appearance, “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man,” he shared intimate details of how his private life has informed his professional craft, from struggling with family dynamics in his youth to enjoying his home life in adulthood.

Keoghan shared several anecdotes about the early roots of his acting career. He describes his younger self as a “messer,” attributing getting lost in his imagination to his later ADHD diagnosis. He was so rowdy that he was banned from a local movie theater, only to later have one of his films later shown there. Despite his wild behavior, he found a certain kind of peace in his first acting roles on the stage.

“I did fall in love with acting and the idea of performing and being on stage. When I was younger, when in school, it was a starting point for me. I remember, it was ‘Oliver Twist,’” said Keoghan. “I was actually just an orphan in it! Just an orphan eating porridge.”

With a wide range of talent, Keoghan shared how he connects to the emotional center of various roles. He specifically alluded to his upcoming role as Ringo Starr in The Beatles biopic series.

“It’s a fine line of playing someone who's real; it’s the imitation. And then there's the fine line of finding the truth. I always say, it's effortless when you tell the truth.” he said.

Finding the “truth” in the portrayal of real people ranges for Keoghan. For his role as Starr, he cites similarities between their drumming techniques, as well as their humble origins. These deep connections he has to the information available to him bring nuance to his acting choices.

“Liverpool and Dublin are very similar. Not a lot of opportunities,” said Keoghan. He referenced his own childhood home, and how his grandma gave up her own bed for him. “When I went to Ringo's home, (there were) similarities in size and how compact it was…It’s just linking (the similarities) so you can bring forward the truth.”

The audience seemed touched by his modest origins.

“I didn’t really know much about his past, where he grew up, or how he came to where he is today,” said sophomore writing for film and television major Twyla King. “I could tell he worked hard to get where he is.”

Multiple students labeled the actor as “down to earth,” with a lot of his advice coming across as earnest and being backed by his behavior towards questions from fans in the audience.

“He took time to talk to students and sign things, and I just think he’s a really nice, personable human being,” said sophomore screen acting major Max Vadset.

Keoghan’s understanding and patient mindset inform not only his personal interactions but his outlook on dealing with villainous characters, including his role in “Peaky Blinders: Immortal Man” as Erasmus, the cold-blooded heir to Thomas Shelby’s (Cillian Murphy) reign. With such stark moral differences between the role and the actor, Keoghan addressed seeking the emotional center of Erasmus.

“I bet you were expecting an absolute menace of a character, but there's also such a vulnerability and tenderness … (He’s) just a lad looking for his dad,” he said.

Keoghan emphasized the importance of self-belief in one’s acting career. He touched on the limitations of the phrase “making it” in the industry. He believes that you should always shoot for higher goals, and being fully content in your career only holds you back.

“I never want to be happy,” Keoghan said. “(The more) you unlock new stuff, the more you work with incredible people. And when you unlock new stuff, you unlock new goals. It's therapeutic: figuring out yourself and revealing yourself.”