Sabrina Carpenter Says Casting Barry Keoghan in Music Video Was Unbiased Move: ‘Who’s the Greatest Actor I Can Find?’

Barry Keoghan’s acting resume, not his relationship with Sabrina Carpenter, landed him the role in her “Please Please Please” music video, she said.

While speaking with CBS’s Sunday Morning’s Tracy Smith, the 25-year-old “Espresso” singer revealed that when it came to acting for the video, she used her “not even biased opinion” — although she admitted that it also helped the Oscar-nominated actor was sitting right next to her.

After Smith asked Carpenter why she would include Keoghan, 31, as her love interest in the video if she wanted to keep her love life private, the musician laughed before explaining the decision.

“I honestly — like, not even a biased opinion — was like, ‘Who’s the best actor I can find for this music video?’ And he was next to me in the chair,” Carpenter said. “And he was so excited about it.”

Timeline of Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan’s relationship

Plus, “Please Please Please” — believed to contain cheeky lyrical references to Saltburn star—was already Keoghan’s favorite.

“And he likes the song, which is great. He’s a fan of that song,” Carpenter said, adding that the actor “really likes my music, yeah.”

Carpenter has remained mostly coy when it comes to discussing her relationship — which a source previously described to PEOPLE as “on and off” — since the couple first sparked dating rumors in late 2023.

Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan in the ‘Please Please Please’ music video.

Sabrina Carpenter/YouTube

Sabrina Carpenter hits back at hateful troll with screenshots: ‘I’m a grateful, grateful, grateful girl’

While talking to Diversity in August, Carpenter praised Keoghan reflecting on “Please Please Please,” which premiered in June.

“I don’t want to sound biased, but I think he’s one of the best actors of this generation,” she said. “Seeing it on screen with my song as the soundtrack made the video better and even more special.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date with the best PEOPLE has to offer​​, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In an interview with The Guardian released in late August, the “Taste” singer described working with the actor on the video as “one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.”

“I am very honored to work with such a great actor,” she told the newspaper, and the writer noted that she continued to scowl and mock her own “shy diplomacy” by repeating that he is “such a great actor” in a mocking voice.

Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter in March 2024.

Dave Bennett/VF24/WireImage for Vanity Fair

As for their relationship outside of work, Carpenter went on to explain that while she’s not a fan of the public knowing the details of her private life, she also understands that it comes with the levels of fame she’s reached.

“It’s not what I signed up for, but I can’t help it when I’m born,” she said The Guardian. “I want to be honest – I just want to write about what’s going on in my life as a 25-year-old.”

“But it comes with the territory and I just have to be like…okay!” she added.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education