Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan's relationship was one of the most talked about celebrity matches of 2024. The couple was spotted flirting on red carpets, they starred in music videos together and Barry was often seen dancing in the crowd during Sabrina's gigs. However, the pair reportedly called it a day in December last year after months of speculation that they were 'on and off'.
At the time, both Sabrina and Barry declined to comment on the reason behind the split but the Saltburn actor was accused of infidelity and faced an onslaught of abuse from the popstar's fans in the wake of their break-up. Barry denied accusations and responded with a statement on Instagram, before admitting he had deactivated his accounts as a result of the trolling.
Now, Sabrina has finally addressed the break-up and the resulting backlash Barry faced during a tell-all interview with Gayle King. During the conversation, which aired on CBS Mornings, the host asked Sabrina about how her partners feel when they become the subject of her music. Gayle asked: "When you write with things that are going on in your life, do you worry about men saying, 'I’m afraid to mess with her'? You know the last album they were saying was about Barry Keoghan - Bed Chem - you never said it is or it isn’t about him."
In response, Sabrina said: "Right, I just wouldn’t say. It’s more fun for people to picture in their head, then the person I picture in my head, I think."
Gayle then pressed, "But for him, he got a lot of backlash because your fans are very loyal," to which Sabrina replied: "Correct."
When asked if she 'feels badly' about the backlash he faced at the time, Sabrina replied: "I feel I'm pretty transparent going into any of my relationships that I write songs. And I think they’re just as down for it. Most of the time they’ve been pretty flattered when they get a song written about them - good or bad. I think they’re just excited to get a shout out... I’m not scared of men, in that sense - I’m scared of men sometimes - but in that sense I’m not scared of men. I’m not scared, I think I will attract exactly who I’m supposed to attract."
Barry hasn't commented on their relationship since his social media statement in December, where he wrote: "I can only sit and take so much. My name has been dragged across the internet in ways I usually don't respond to."
He continued: "I have to respond now because it's gettin [sic] to a place where there are too many lines being crossed. I deactivated my account because I can no longer let this stuff distract from my family and my work. The messages I have received no person should ever have to read them. Absolute lies, hatred, disgusting commentary about my appearance, character, how I am as a parent and every other inhumane thing you can imagine."
He later concluded: "Please be respectful to all."
