16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Barry Keoghan recalls being banned from attending Dunkirk premiere by Dublin cinema
Keoghan used to ditch school in favour of watching films in Cineworld
Barry Keoghan has recalled being banned from attending the premiere of Dunkirk by a cinema in Dublin.
The 32-year-old starred alongside Cillian Murphy, Harry Styles and Michael Caine in the 2017 film.
During a tour of the city with Hollywood Authentic, Keoghan revealed that he was known to staff in Cineworld because he was barred, and when he showed up to the Dunkirk premiere, they didn't believe he was in the film.
'This is the main cinema I used to go to, on the mitch from school,' he said of the Parnell Street picture house.
Keoghan went on to explain that when he had no money to pay in he would break in through a back stairway, which eventually got him barred.
'I remember coming to the Dunkirk premiere, and getting in here, and them not knowing that I was in the film.
'They were like, 'You're not allowed in.'
'I said, 'It's my movie, though.'
'They were like, 'No, no. You're not allowed in.'
'It was a whole thing… It was just a turning point for me.'
'All the people in the cinema now, I know,' he added, pointing at a poster of Chris Hemsworth, adding: 'I just worked with him.'
During his interview, Keoghan also revealed he was banned from being involved with school plays because he 'was bold.'
'It's where I started my acting,' he said of his old primary school.
'Then they banned me from doing plays because I was bold. Misbehaving. Whatever you want to call it.'
He said his ambitions of stardom were not taken seriously when he was a child.
'I don't think acting got nurtured enough. When I said I wanted to be an actor, I wasn't taken seriously.
It was more like, 'OK, we're going to send you to study drama and all that.'
'I went, 'But that's not what I want to do. I want to do practical. I don't feel you can learn acting.'
Keoghan said acting was always his 'Plan A'.
Barry Keoghan outside Cineworld on Parnell Street
News in 90 Seconds - May 16th
'It was such a far reach for people to think of me being an actor.'
Barry's latest film Hurry Up Tomorrow landed in cinemas today.
The Oscar-nominated actor started his career in 2011 with a role in Between the Canals, which was filmed on Sheriff Street.
He has since gone on to star in blockbuster Hollywood films alongside other Irish stars such as Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy and Brendan Gleeson.
He is set to play the role of Ringo Starr in an upcoming four-part biopic about The Beatles.
