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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Ellie Muir

Barry Keoghan shares rare photograph of ‘mini-me’ son Brando

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Louise Thomas

Louise Thomas

Editor

Barry Keoghan has shared a rare photograph posing with his two-year-old son, Brando.

In a new photo shared on Instagram, the Irish Saltburn actor, 31, posed next to his son who is pictured playing with a toy dinosaur and car on a table.

Keoghan gave his 2.7 million followers an insight into his son’s personality, as he captioned the photo: “He’s more of a charmer than I am. Our wee Brando.”

Keoghan’s then-girlfriend, Alyson Sandro, gave birth to Brando in August 2022 while the actor was filming Saltburn at Drayton House in Northamptonshire.

Fans were quick to point out that Keoghan and his son share the same bright-blue eye colour and nose, with one fan writing: “Lil buddy’s got his father’s eyes!”

Another added that Brando was his father’s “mini-me”.

For Brando’s birth in 2022, Keoghan was allowed one day away from filming the Emerald Fennel film to be with his son.

“They gave me a day off,” he told GQ. “Good on them! Day off, and straight on to night shoots and night feedings – boom!”

The actor called the experience of becoming a father and leading a movie the “best time” of his life.

“It was probably the best time of my life, to be quite fair. Havin’ a baby boy, and leadin’ a movie. It was the best time of my life, I must say – yeah,” he said.

“She’s done a great job and she’s an incredible mother,” Keoghan said of Sandro, whom he reportedly split from last year.

Barry Keoghan and his ex-girlfriend Alyson Sandro pictured in 2023
Barry Keoghan and his ex-girlfriend Alyson Sandro pictured in 2023 (Getty Images)

Keoghan said in January that becoming a father has not changed him, but it does affect the choices he now makes, such as how long he’s willing to be away on location.

“I feel a responsibility. I feel an enormous amount of pressure, which is good,” he said earlier this year.

“And I can’t get the little boy off my mind. It’s beautiful. Y’know, it’s crazy, but when he looks at you, you feel like the most important person in the world. That’s the effect he has on me. He smiles at you and you’re like, ‘Wow. You’re smiling at me like that? I don’t deserve that, but anyways, thanks.’”

Sharing the inspiration behind the name Brando, Keoghan said he loves the late Godfather actor Marlon Brando, and thought it was a “quite cool” first name.

Keoghan pictured at Cannes Film Festival in May
Keoghan pictured at Cannes Film Festival in May (Getty Images)

“To have Brando in your name – feckin’ hell, man! He’s got a lot to live up to, that kid,” Keoghan said.

“But he’ll live up to it. He has to have that leather jacket and that rock-star attitude, you know what I mean? He’ll have a motorbike when he’s 12, I think.”

Keoghan is in a relationship with American musician Sabrina Carpenter, best known for her summer hit “Espresso”. The pair confirmed their romance in June when the actor starred in the singer’s music video for her song “Please, Please, Please”.

However, just two months later, multiple reports now allude to rumours suggesting that the pair may have separated. Meanwhile, People magazine has reported that the pair’s relationship is “on and off”.

The Independent has contacted representatives for Keoghan and Carpenter for comment.

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