Barry Keoghan says relationship with son was abnormal: ‘There was nowhere to gain experience’

Barry Keoghan tries to be a good father to his two-year-old son Bando, but the “Chernobyl” star is finding it tough.

Keoghan stars in director Andrea Arnold’s drama Bird, about the strained relationship between 12-year-old Bailey (Nikia Adams) and her single father Bug (Keogan). The actor also opened up about his own fatherhood in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He says the only thing he can trust is his own emotions and his relationship with his child.

“I’ll just say this: I didn’t have a father figure as a child, so my relationship with my son was not normal. There was nowhere for me to gain experience. There was no foundation to build on. Of course there is love that doesn’t have to come from nowhere. He’s clean, but I’m talking about teaching your son or your daughter how to be a parent,” Barry said.

Keoghan recently shared a rare photo with his baby. The celebrity is raising a son with his ex-girlfriend, dental hygienist Alison Kierans. The couple met in 2021 and Alison gave birth to their son in August 2022 while filming Barry Saltburn.

The actor has tried to keep the boy out of the public eye. Keoghan has previously said he wants Brando to be proud of him in the future. He also explained how his heir motivates him to be a “better person” and that he plans to “always be there for him” when the boy grows up.