News that Barry Keoghan is “hiding away” due to relentless face trolling about his appearance – and it is making him reconsider his future in acting – is just the latest reminder that the playing field when it comes to beauty standards for men and women is levelling out. Some people might think it’s about time that men are held to the same standards as women when it comes to their looks. I consider it more of an empty victory.
Following public scrutiny of Keoghan’s changing facial looks – including new plumped-up lips while sitting in the front row of the Burberry show at London Fashion Week in February, and a noticeably new, defined jawline and fuller cheeks on show at the Peaky Blinders premiere and at the Oscars, both a few weeks ago – he is struggling with the public criticism. The Oscar-nominated actor, 33, who is set to play Ringo Starr in the Sam Mendes Beatles biopic, told SiriusXM host Ben Harlum that the onslaught of online hate has left him to “really go inside myself, not want to attend places, not want to go outside”.
