Actor Barry Keoghan denied the yearslong rumors that he cheated on Sabrina Carpenter, saying the speculation made him “disappear.”

“I have been avoiding stuff. ... I’ve stopped going to events,” Keoghan said on Tuesday’s episode of “Friends Keep Secrets.” “I’ve stopped just socializing, and again, it’s because there was a narrative out there that was never really sort of even spoken on. A narrative that’s not true and I never confirmed or said anything about it and I just disappeared.”

The confession came after the hosts of “Friends Keep Secrets” — Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky, and Kristin Batalucco — complimented Keoghan’s vibe. He thanked them, saying he needed to hear that because the comments on social media have been getting him down.

“There is a lot hatred towards me for just looking like this,” Keoghan said.

Keoghan and Blanco shared their experiences of being torn up online over their appearance. Blanco said he has tough skin, but Keoghan didn’t seem to share the same feelings.

“Unfortunately, having a relationship in the public eye, it gets put out there and it’s amplified,” Keoghan said, clarifying that he was talking about rumors that was that he cheated in a past relationship, seemingly referring to Carpenter.

In late 2024, influencer Breckie Hill raised eyebrows when she reposted a video that speculated she hooked up with Keoghan while he was dating Carpenter. She later denied those rumors in a video, telling followers she “did not get with” Keoghan.

Keoghan said he didn’t want to directly address the rumors because he didn’t want to put Hill in the public eye. The actor said even though he isn’t logged into his social media accounts, he will sometimes snoop on burner accounts.

Keoghan and Carpenter broke up in December 2024 after dating for a year. Afterward, Keoghan deleted his Instagram account, writing on X, “I can only sit and take so much.”

In August 2025, Carpenter released her Grammy-nominated album “Man’s Best Friend,” which included tracks many fans believe are about Keoghan. Carpenter hasn’t confirmed if any of the songs are about him; she told “CBS Mornings” ahead of the album release that she “wouldn’t say.”

“It’s more fun for people to picture the person in their head than the person I picture in my head, I think,” she said.

Keoghan said on “Friends Keep Secrets” that he doesn’t need people to become his fans, but wants the public to “stop jumping on this narrative” and “dragging” him down. He then referenced his tough upbringing, including watching his mother deal with substance abuse.

“Why is it cool to hop on and beat someone who has come from a lot?” Keoghan said. “Someone like myself or kids like myself. To survive stuff I’ve seen as a kid and stuff I’ve seen. My mom lay on the ground after fucking injecting herself and shit that I have to fight with every day through a lot of therapy, going through addiction myself, and sobriety and to battle all of that, to then want to drag that person down.”

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