The band Barry Keoghan says “inspired me to be myself”
Until Saltburn, most people knew Barry Keoghan best for his career-defining roles in The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Banshees of Inisherin. Since bringing the notorious Oliver Quick to life in Emerald Fennell’s hit movie, however, Keoghan has more than demonstrated the fact that his acting prowess knows no bounds.
Aside from those three films, Keoghan boasts an impressive array of cinematic credits, including notable roles in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, the A24 fantasy feature The Green Knight, the Irish crime drama Calm With Horses, and his cameo portraying the Joker in the recent superhero blockbuster The Batman.
Beyond his on-screen performances, Keoghan is also a big music fan, particularly when it comes to indie-rock legends. A few years back, the actor exposed some of his favourite songs for a feature with Notion, which set him the task of revealing ten of his most cherished tracks. Starting with English rock legends The Who, Keoghan singled out their iconic tune, ‘Baba O’Reilly’.
Like many of the songs on his list, this particular track remains a favourite due to the nostalgia it evokes. In this instance, it reminds him of starring in Bart Layton’s docudrama alongside Evan Peters. As he explained: “I was shown that [song] on American Animals and now it reminds me of being on set filming the movie. When I hear the song, it takes me back.”
Songs can be powerful triggers when it comes to sparking specific memories, as is the case with another of Keoghan’s favourites: The Verve’s ‘Lucky Man’. “This song is special to me because it is a song that reminds me of my uncle who lived in London,” the actor explained. “He played it in the house when I was growing up.”
Staying true to the theme of English rock pioneers, Keoghan evidently holds a deep admiration for Oasis. Identifying his favourite tracks poses a challenge, particularly considering how their music deeply resonated with Keoghan since his early years. He explains: “So hard to choose one song from this band. I’m a huge fan of Oasis in general, it takes me back to that growing up thing again, my uncle always played them in the house.”
Singling out the band’s popular hit ‘Supersonic’, he added: “These lads have an Irish background. They remind me of the working-class era where I’m from. They are important to me because they inspired me to be myself, especially Liam Gallagher, he reminded me to always be myself, to always stay true to me.”
