Barry Keoghan takes on the role of a father in his upcoming film, Bird. The Oscar-winning actor shares that portraying fatherhood can be quite challenging, both in movies and in real life.
In a chat with Entertainment Weekly during the Toronto International Film Festival, Keoghan, 31, admitted that he doesn’t have a “normal” relationship with his 2-year-old son, Brando, who he shares with ex-girlfriend Alyson Sandro.
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“Growing up without a father figure makes my relationship with Brando different,” he said. “I can’t really draw from a traditional father-son model, especially when it comes to teaching him things. But love is instinctive and pure.”
In Bird, Keoghan portrays Bug, who has a unique, almost sibling-like bond with his on-screen daughter, Bailey, played by 14-year-old Nykiya Adams. “Given my background, we shared more of a brother-sister chemistry, and I think that resonates with many young parents today,” he explained.
Despite his fatherhood experience, Keoghan found it tough to channel the right emotions for a father to a pre-teen, saying, “Bug has to make tough decisions for Bailey, but I struggled with where to draw my inspiration from.”
The film Bird is set to hit U.S. theaters on November 8.