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In the realm of potential arm adversaries, Barry Keoghan faced a formidable lineup that included ants, timber wolves, and even house cats if they happened to be less mobile. The list of creatures with an appetite for his limb seemed endless, encompassing millions of threats lurking in the natural world. However, in an unexpected turn of events leading up to the filming of Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, Keoghan found himself on the brink of losing more than just his arm to a perilous adversary.
A living entity, more insidious than any creature in the wild, posed a dire threat to Keoghan’s limb—flesh-eating bacteria, scientifically known as “necrotizing fasciitis,” a term reminiscent of a spell from the wizarding world of Harry Potter. The prognosis was grim, with survival hanging by a thread. The worst-case scenario loomed large, suggesting a future without the continuation of Eternals movies, a prospect that sent shockwaves through the cinematic landscape.
Necrotizing fasciitis, though rare, carries a severity that rivals the dangers encountered in the most perilous situations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports approximately a thousand cases annually in the U.S., placing the odds of contracting it in a category akin to a journey to an abandoned amusement park, mirroring the suspenseful setting where Mark Wahlberg hunts the most dangerous game. The initial symptoms, deceptively generic, include tenderness, redness, and swelling at the infection site. However, the progression is swift and ominous, with dusky skin, thrombosed vessels, and the formation of bullae filled with fluid signaling a critical stage.
The narrative takes a darker turn beyond the stage of “hemorrhagic fluid,” demanding immediate and drastic interventions such as a barrage of antibiotics and the likelihood of exploratory surgery. Amputations, unfortunately, become a common recourse. Despite advancements in medical science, mortality rates linger in the range of 10 to 20%, with a potential spike to 33% if streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is a complicating factor.
Against all odds, Keoghan emerged unscathed from this harrowing experience, bearing only a few scars on his right arm. His close call sent shockwaves through the creative team, as he left the writer and director of Three Billboards aghast by calling in sick with a flesh-eating bacteria diagnosis just days before shooting. The full account of this perilous encounter is chronicled in Keoghan’s recent GQ profile, capturing the essence of a man who, having faced mortality head-on, continues to embrace life’s adventures, as evidenced by a photograph featuring him with a pigeon on his arm—an emblem of resilience and a testament to his indomitable spirit.