Barry Keoghan Goes Dark on Social Media as Sabrina Carpenter Cheating Rumors Swirl

written by Craig Ellison

May 2, 2026 4:42 pm

Barry Keoghan Goes Dark on Social Media as Sabrina Carpenter Cheating Rumors Swirl — Image credit: Legion-Media

Saltburn star Barry Keoghan quit social media amid backlash over rumors he cheated on Sabrina Carpenter with influencer Breckie Hill, just as he gears up to play Ringo Starr in an anticipated Beatles biopic.

Alright, let’s talk about Barry Keoghan getting fed up and bailing on social media—because of a rumor mill that wouldn’t quit. If you’ve seen his face lighting up ‘Saltburn’, you know he’s everywhere these days, and apparently, so are the internet’s opinions about his personal life.

A Messy Rumor, a Retreat, and Everything In Between

Here’s what went down: Barry Keoghan was dating singer Sabrina Carpenter. Then, rumors flared up (because, of course, they did) claiming he’d cheated on her with influencer Breckie Hill. The gossip gremlins took over the internet, with fans lobbing some pretty nasty stuff his way. For the record, Barry denied it at the time—though no one seemed interested in letting facts get in the way of a good pile-on.

And naturally, the noise got loud. Really loud. Barry finally decided he’d had enough and ghosted social media altogether.

Barry’s Take, In His Own Words

On a recent episode of Benny Blanco’s 'Friends Keep Secrets' podcast, Barry actually unpacked how much the internet chaos messed with him. He pointed out he didn’t just go quiet online—he stepped back from events, stopped hanging out, basically faded out everywhere he could.

"I came off Instagram, you know, on social profiles. I've stopped going to events. I’ve stopped, you know, just uh socializing. And again, it’s because, you know, there was a narrative out there that was never really... sort of even spoken on, a narrative that’s not true. And, you know, I just disappeared. I feel compelled to."

What’s a little surreal is that Breckie Hill (the influencer at the center of this) later admitted the claims were completely made up. Barry said this is what happens when your relationship is public—any whisper online gets 'amplified' to ear-splitting levels.

He made it pretty clear the whole experience was "disgusting" and "vile," and his silence at the time didn’t do much for his peace of mind. He wasn’t looking for people to be Team Barry, either—he just wanted everyone to stop making up stories and tearing him down. Not an unreasonable ask, but this is the internet we’re talking about.

Quick Recap – What Actually Happened?

Keoghan was rumored (falsely) to have cheated on Sabrina Carpenter with Breckie Hill.
Fans believed it and unleashed a flood of online hate his way.
Barry denied everything, but in this age—denials aren't nearly as catchy as rumors.
Breckie Hill herself eventually admitted she fabricated the story.
Barry, exhausted by the drama, quit all social platforms and went under the radar socially.
He’s since spoken out about the toll it took on his mental health and how toxic things got.
Sabrina Carpenter? Not a single word about the rumors.

Also worth pointing out: The timing is wild, since Keoghan’s about to play Ringo Starr in a Beatles biopic that everyone’s got their eyes on. Not exactly when you want your phone blowing up with nonsense allegations.

Bottom line: Yet another case of an actor having to disappear because the internet can’t get enough of manufactured drama. Welcome to 2024, folks.