One of Ireland’s hottest rising actors got another fascinating job. Barry Keoghan has made a name for himself with interesting roles, and he will maintain that reputation as he signs on for a Saddam Hussein movie called Amo Saddam. The film will come from Johan Renck, the director of HBO’s Chernobyl.
Coming off Saltburn, Barry Keoghan is bringing back his American accent for Amo Saddam. He will play an American soldier tasked with guarding Saddam Hussein before his trial and eventual execution.
Barry Keoghan Continues Getting the Most Interesting Roles with Amo Saddam
The story is based on Will Bardenwerper’s book The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid. The book followed the stories of 12 soldiers who were on duty to guard the former Iraqi leader. The book “reveals what it is like to discover in one’s ruthless enemy a man, and then deliver him to the gallows.”
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the director talked about his vision for Amo Saddam as Barry Keoghan signs on to take the leading role. His goal is to craft the story in “a really immersive, authentic way.” He will aim to remove the film from “typical tropes of a war movie.” He said there will be a “bit of genre-blending” as it is “a prison movie, it’s a war movie, and it’s kind of a horror movie.”
Nobody has been cast as the counter to the Masters of Air star. The director is seeking someone who is a “really good actor from the region, who speaks Arabic and can authentically embody the role.”
With this latest project under his belt, the Oscar-nominee is one of the film industry’s biggest rising stars. While he has proven to have a wide range, he has been known for playing freaks and weirdos throughout his career. The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Green Knight, and the provocative Saltburn are a few of the most notable that highlight what he has made a name for himself doing. For Amo Saddam, it will be a reunion for him as he worked with the director on Chornobyl.
