Irish actor Barry Keoghan.Getty Images

Barry Keoghan has opened up about entering a ‘new chapter’ in his life after enduring months of online abuse following his split from pop star Sabrina Carpenter.

The Dublin actor said he now wants to ‘let my work speak for me’ as he prepares to return to the Cannes Film Festival this week with his new movie Butterfly Jam.

Barry faced intense trolling online after his relationship with Sabrina ended in December 2024, with rumours circulating on social media accusing him of cheating, claims he later denied.

Speaking to Variety ahead of Cannes, the 33-year-old reflected on moving forward from the scrutiny.

‘I want to step into a new chapter of my life where I let my work speak for me,’ he said.

‘I want to close the book on it, put my head up, have a smile and enjoy the moment.’

The actor previously spoke candidly about the impact online abuse has had on his mental wellbeing during an interview on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up earlier this year.

‘There’s a lot of hate online,’ he said. ‘There’s a lot of abuse of how I look… it’s made me shy away. It’s made me really go inside myself, not want to attend places, not want to go outside.’

‘I say this being absolutely pure and honest to you. It’s becoming a problem.’

Barry revealed he stepped away from social media in 2024, explaining that although he occasionally checks reactions after public appearances or premieres, the comments are often ‘not nice.’

Barry Keoghan with Alyson Sandro. (GETTY IMAGES)

He also admitted the negativity has affected both his confidence and his passion for acting.

‘When that starts leaking into your art, it becomes a problem, because then you don’t want to even be on screen anymore,’ he explained.

The Saltburn star also spoke about concerns for his young son Brando, saying he worries about him eventually seeing the comments online.

‘It is disappointing that my little boy has to read all of this stuff when he gets older,’ he added.

Barry is set to return to Cannes for the third time with Butterfly Jam, directed by Kantemir Balagov.

Barry Keoghan and Riley Keogh in 'Butterfly Jam.'

The film stars Barry alongside Riley Keough as siblings running a struggling diner within Newark’s Circassian community.

The Irish actor previously attended Cannes with The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Bird.

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He is also currently filming The Beatles; A Four-Film Cinematic Event from director Sam Mendes, where he will portray Ringo Starr.

Barry said he has become increasingly selective about the roles he takes on.

‘I carefully, cautiously pick because I just want to enjoy, and I want to heal, I want to tell, I want to find, I want to explore,’ he said.

 * This article was originally published on Extra.ie.