Irish actor and star of the BAFTA-nominated film Saltburn Barry Keoghan is making headlines yet again following the release of Vanity Fair’s 30th annual ‘Hollywood’ issue. The publication’s in-motion cover, which debuted on February 21, features several A-list Hollywood stars including Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Coleman Domingo, Jodie Comer, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jenna Ortega, and Pedro Pascal, as well as a bare-naked Barry Keoghan.

While the other celebs on the Vanity Fair cover are dressed in suits and gowns, Keoghan appears stark naked on the cover, turning to reveal his backside. Keoghan’s appearance on the cover is an obvious reference to the now-iconic final scene of Saltburn, in which the actor dances nude to the tune of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’. 

Presenting the 30th annual #VFHollywood Issue, our cheekiest yet, starring Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Jodie Comer, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jenna Ortega, and Barry Keoghan.

?: https://t.co/q98NkynQzU… pic.twitter.com/S5ID11nPag

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) February 21, 2024

In addition to his bare-naked appearance on the cover of Vanity Fair, Barry has recently appeared in a sexy Valentine’s Day ad campaign for the dating app Bumble, as well as in a risque vampire-themed photo shoot with W magazine.

 

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Since appearing in Saltburn, Keoghan has skyrocketed in terms of popularity. The Dublin-born actor got his first big breakout role in 2022 when he starred opposite Irish actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in the Oscar-nominated film Banshees of Inisherin. 

Keoghan has similarly wowed audiences in previous projects such as The Batman, where the actor portrayed the infamous DC villain, the Joker, a role that he will reprise in the upcoming The Batman 2 film. 

In his interview with Vanity Fair, Keoghan discussed a number of topics, including his upcoming projects, the rise of Irish stars in Hollywood, and his iconic nude dance scene in Saltburn. 

When discussing his upcoming work, which includes roles in The Batman 2, Bird, and a mini-series titled Masters of the Air, Keoghan told Vanity Fair that, when he’s looking for a new project: “The filmmaker and the role and the story are the three boxes that need ticking.

“I just want to collaborate with people who are out there trying to bring a new approach to it, people that want to take risks,” Keoghan continued. “I also want to be challenged and put to the test where I push my limits and learn on the gig.”

Keoghan added: “Artistically, I’m really comfortable with digging deeper to kind of push myself and bring in some more raw emotion – really break myself down trying to search and discover new performances.” 

The actor similarly commented on the rise of Irish actors in Hollywood, calling out names like Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott, and Cillian Murphy, all of whom have stunned audiences this year with their appearances in films like All of Us Strangers and Oppenheimer. 

“It’s nice to be in that company,” said Keoghan. “You know, the Irish–when they’re away, they stick to one another…It’s a great group of lads, do you know what I mean? It’d be great to get us all in one big fecking movie, wouldn’t it?” 

Keoghan later shouted out other Irish stars that he’d like to work with in the future, including Saoirse Ronan, Alison Oliver, and Ayo Edebiri, Ireland’s adopted daughter. 

At this stage I’m more familiar with Barry Keoghan’s arse than I am with my own pic.twitter.com/ei4jrFtUcY

— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) February 21, 2024

Turning, finally, to the ongoing discussions of his nude scene at the end of Saltburn, Barry Keoghan told Vanity Fair that he didn’t feel uncomfortable bearing it all on the silver screen. 

“I do dance around naked though, in my house,” Keoghan admitted. “Everyone does, man. We all sing in the shower. We all act silly when we’re alone and we feel this freedom. It’s one thing that I did relate to. Not dancing around a manor of that sort with that fecking drip hanging about–but I sing out loud, I dance silly and move my body silly.” 

Speaking on the public’s reaction to Saltburn, his dancing skills, and his naked body, Keoghan added: “It’s crazy. It can be detrimental to the mind and your mental state if you read into it too much or you look at too much stuff being said. But I wouldn’t go there if I wasn’t prepared for that, or if I wasn’t open to receiving what people want to say.

“I think it shows an act of maturity in your craft, and if it justifies the story and moves it forward, why not? You look at European cinema and they tend to have a lot of scenes that involve nudity, and it’s not a massive thing, really. But I think it’s true art,” Keoghan added.

“It really is. And it’s true vulnerability as well. You’re kind of putting yourself out there in the most vulnerable state. It’s beautiful to look at. I’m not saying it’s because of my body, but it’s freeing to see that body move around in the way it does. It’s like a moving painting, almost.” 

Unfortunately, Keoghan did not receive an Oscar nomination for his role in Saltburn, a decision that many are calling a snub. However, Keoghan remains an Internet favourite following his cheeky performance in the film, a trend that’s likely to continue if the actor continues to show off his naked body on magazine covers.

 

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Saltburn is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.