It was the "bathwater" reference that finally did it. When Sabrina Carpenter stepped onto the Coachella stage in early 2024 and quipped about a certain infamous scene from Saltburn, the internet basically went into a tailspin. Standing in the VIP section, filming her like a proud stage dad, was Barry Keoghan. At that moment, it felt like the most chaotic, high-energy crossover in pop culture history.
But as we sit here in 2026, the dust has long since settled on the whirlwind romance between the Irish actor and the "Espresso" pop star.
Honestly, looking back at Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter, the relationship was always a bit of a tightrope walk. You had a 33-year-old Oscar nominee with a young son and a reputation for being a "method" actor, paired with a 26-year-old singer whose career was launching into the stratosphere. It was messy, it was loud, and it gave us some of the best pop lyrics of the decade.
The Timeline of the Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter Romance
They reportedly first met at the Givenchy Spring/Summer 2024 show during Paris Fashion Week in September 2023. It wasn't an immediate "hard launch." Instead, we got months of blurry paparazzi photos at Los Angeles dinner spots like Nobu and Delilah.
By February 2024, they were pulling the classic "cover your face with your hands" move at a Grammys afterparty. It was peak celebrity coy-play.
Then came the Met Gala in May 2024. This was the big one. They didn't walk the stairs together—Sabrina was in a stunning Oscar de la Renta gown and Barry was rocking a Victorian-vibe Burberry velvet suit—but they met at the top. The video of them posing together went viral instantly. Fans started calling them "Alice and the Mad Hatter."
💡 You might also like: Why the Jordan Is My Lawyer Bikini Still Breaks the Internet
The "Please Please Please" Era
If you want to know what the relationship actually felt like, you just have to watch the "Please Please Please" music video. Sabrina didn't just cast a random actor; she cast her actual boyfriend to play a convict she keeps bailing out of jail.
- The Meta Layer: The song is literally about begging a partner not to embarrass her or prove her haters right.
- The Chemistry: You can't fake that kind of intensity on screen.
- The Irony: The lyrics "I heard that you're an actor, so act like a stand-up guy" felt uncomfortably real to fans who knew about Barry's 2022 arrest for public intoxication.
Sabrina told CBS Sunday Morning that she chose him because he’s "one of the best actors of this generation." She wasn't wrong. But casting your boyfriend in a song about him potentially ruining your reputation is a bold move.
Why They Eventually Called It Quits
By August 2024, the "on-again, off-again" rumors started to stick. People reported that they were taking a break because they were both just too busy. Sabrina was gearing up for the massive Short n' Sweet tour, and Barry was booked solid with film projects, including his role as Ringo Starr in the upcoming Beatles biopic.
Then December 2024 hit.
The split was finally confirmed. Insiders claimed they were "young and career-focused," which is publicist-speak for "we don't live in the same world anymore." There were darker rumors too. A blind item on DeuxMoi suggested Barry had been seen getting cozy with an influencer at the San Vicente Bungalows.
📖 Related: Pat Lalama Journalist Age: Why Experience Still Rules the Newsroom
Barry eventually deactivated his Instagram after a wave of harassment. He posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he "can only sit and take so much," citing "absolute lies" and "disgusting commentary" about his character and his parenting. It was a sad, sharp end to a relationship that had started with so much sparkle.
The 2025 Met Gala Run-In
Fast forward to May 2025. Both stars showed up at the Met Gala. It was the first time they’d been in the same room publicly since the breakup. Sabrina wore a daring burgundy Louis Vuitton bodysuit with no pants—very Pharrell Williams. Barry wore a black Valentino suit with a military-style red sash.
They avoided each other on the carpet. No photos. No "Mad Hatter" reunions.
It was the final confirmation that the Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter era was officially over.
What We Learned from SaBarry
What was the takeaway from all this? Mostly that being a "it" couple in the age of TikTok is a nightmare. Every lyric Sabrina wrote was dissected for "clues." Every time Barry didn't post a "m'darlin" comment on her Instagram, people assumed they’d broken up.
👉 See also: Why Sexy Pictures of Mariah Carey Are Actually a Masterclass in Branding
It was a relationship lived under a microscope.
If you're looking for the "truth" of what happened, it's likely somewhere between the busy schedules and the pressure of public expectation. Sabrina even poked fun at the situation on New Year's 2026, reposting a TikTok about being glad she didn't get back with an ex.
Ouch.
Lessons for the Rest of Us
You don't have to be a pop star to learn from this.
- Keep the "work" and "life" separate: Casting your partner in a project about your relationship is a high-risk gamble. It creates a permanent record of a vibe that might not last.
- Beware the "on-off" cycle: Sources close to the pair said they were "on and off" for months before the final split. Usually, that first "off" is a sign of fundamental friction.
- Public opinion is a weight: If you’re dating someone with a complicated past (like Barry's history of partying or his co-parenting situation), the public will use it as ammunition the moment things get rocky.
If you’re still mourning the loss of this pairing, the best thing to do is go back and listen to Short n' Sweet. The songs "Bed Chem" and "Juno" are basically time capsules of that early, electric honeymoon phase.
Next time you see a celebrity "hard launch," remember that for every Met Gala debut, there’s usually a messy December breakup waiting around the corner. It's just the nature of the beast in 2026.