Barry Keoghan Reflects On ‘Eternals’ And Making His Joker
Image Source: The Nerd Stash
It’s not often that an actor has set himself up to be an ongoing presence in Marvel and DC films simultaneously, but actor Barry Keoghan has managed it. It’s only a small part of what makes him wild, as explored in a recent GQ feature.
After exploring such things as his love of animals, the etymology of his last name, the heritage behind it, and his hobbies, it’s said his wolf-like energy earned him film roles with directors such as Christopher Nolan, Martin McDonagh, Yorgos Lathimos, and Chloe Zhao. Of course, his work with Zhao was last year’s Eternals, where he played Druig, an Eternal with mind manipulation powers who wished they’d meddle more in human affairs. Zhao herself said he “can’t be tamed”. He was last to be cast, and younger than they had aimed for. Keoghan has even shown his girlfriend photos from the set to convince her of such truth.
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The film, “cerebral and of a slower pace than genre fans were used to” is considered to have had a lukewarm domestic box office performance and just as tepid audience reaction. This, combined with a lack of presence at both San Diego Comic-Con and D23 Expo, has Keoghan slightly hurt and worried he won’t be able to return to the role. “[They] didn’t really mention Eternals 2, so…” he said. However, it should be noted that of the four MCU films released in 2021, only Black Widow has had any sort of future illuminated for its main cast, as Yelena and Red Guardian were announced for Thunderbolts, to be on the title team. A Shang-Chi sequel was announced in development three months after release, sure, but it too went unmentioned at both events, so keep those hopes up.
And then, there’s being active film Joker #3…maybe #2, with Leto’s ambiguous status. At the time he probably interviewed for the piece, his audition for The Riddler in The Batman was little seen, but once it went out, it’s been circulating through basically all your usual suspects. Deadline, Variety, Entertainment Weekly, The AV Club, and practically everyone else. He’s fully dressed in a manner much closer to traditional depictions, including the bowler hat, revealed in an elevator opening to Saint-Saëns’ “Danse Macabre”, following targets like he’s Alex DeLarge and emerging with a bloody handprint on his cheek. It wasn’t asked for, it was done in the name of wanting to be in the film. With the Riddler role filled, four months would pass until he heard something from his agent: The Batman wanted him to be their Joker.
Keoghan’s Joker is built from his own experiences, both “a bit charming and a bit hurt”. While under heavy prosthetics that bring out “a maniac run through a meat grinder”, he kept his blue eyes. Of course, the role was small but made clear a part of something bigger. The deleted scene that features him has over ten million views online. Of course a The Batman sequel was announced, but that has fewer public details than even the Shang-Chi sequel has. He’s not been invited back yet, but he’s eager for it to come. “As soon as that call comes,” he states, “I’m there man, I’m there.”
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Source: British GQ, Twitter