Barry Keoghan Melts Fans’ Hearts as He Supports 4-Year-Old ‘Bird’ Co-Star at Cannes
Barry Keoghan has come a long way since he first gained recognition in Hollywood for his 2017 roles in Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. The 31-year-old has become a household name in his native Ireland and beyond, giving the actor more career opportunities than ever. As Keoghan extends his acting resume, fans flock to see more of the Dublin native. He certainly gained another little fan as he filmed 2024’s Bird.
On May 16, Keoghan gathered with his Bird co-stars at the largest and arguably most significant film festival of 2024. The Chernobyl actor walked the steps of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès along the glittering French Riviera. Then, he paused to help his 4-year-old co-star, who’d stepped out of her shoe.
Jackie Mellor portrays Keoghan’s stepdaughter in the hard-hitting drama. The pair first spent time together as they shot Bird throughout the south of England in June 2023. Later in the summer, the cast moved production to the Isle of Sheppey. They concluded filming on the island off the northern coast of Kent, England. All of their hard work certainly paid off. Bird received a seven-minute standing ovation when it premiered that evening, according to Variety.
First, however, the cast had to face the gauntlet of cameras outside the Palais. As Mellor’s first role, she was understandably a little overwhelmed by the attention. Keoghan kneeled down beside her. The Banshees of Inisherin star encouraged the little girl to flash a peace sign to the dozens of photographers lining the red carpet. Mellor gave a little smile as Keoghan nodded encouragingly.
Mellor looked adorable in a blue and white seersucker dress covered in white daisies. Keoghan, who became a Burberry ambassador in March, donned a light blue tuxedo jacket from the British fashion label. He added a Burberry shirt, black trousers, and classic black dress shoes to the classy look.
The Saltburn actor agreed to star in Bird after scheduling caused him to drop out of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II. Originally set to portray an emperor in the historical epic, Keoghan instead portrays a tattooed, single dad struggling to make ends meet. His other Bird co-stars — Nykiya Adams, Jasmine Jobson, Jason Buda, Frankie Box, and Franz Rogowski — also attended the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival.
