If you were one of the people who was actively shipping Irish actor Barry Keoghan and beautifully-horny pop princess Sabrina Carpenter this whole last year they’ve been dating, I’m so sorry. At this point, we all know that they’ve broken up and that it’s rumored that Barry’s alleged (consistent) infidelity is what lead to the breakup. And even though we’ve all had a little bit of time to process that news, what we’re all collectively stuck on is… if the rumors are true, why the fuck would Barry cheat on Sabrina?
Okay, okay, I know it’s what’s on the inside that counts but can we just be shallow for five seconds? Sabrina looks like a literal angel princess doll and Barry… well, let’s just say that the role he played in Saltburn was very convincing — someone who looks like him would end up being someone that fucks a grave.
But how often do we see this happening in real life? A beautiful, stunning, talented, well-rounded pretty pretty princess of a woman gets cheated on by a man who looks like he snuck onto Earth. I mean, think about Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson, me and my ugly ass ex. Time and time again men will go out of their way to cheat on their loving, gorgeous partners with people that are… well, how do I put this nicely? Just in a different league.
Well, as suspected, it typically has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the cheater.
barry keoghan cheating on sabrina carpenter is proof that it doesnt matter how pretty you are or how good to a man you are, if hes a cheater he will cheat
— ✧ (@xokomplex) December 4, 2024
“When people cheat with someone considered ‘less attractive,’ it’s often tied to their insecurities and emotional needs rather than physical attraction,” Leah Levi, psychologist and relationships expert at Flure tells Betches. “Being with a partner who is confident, accomplished, or stunning can create feelings of inadequacy.”
And of course because they can’t handle their own insecurities, their partner is the one who ends up getting punished for it. But other times, the person they cheat with might feel more attainable, so to speak.
“This new partner may flatter them, admire them, or provide the validation they crave without the pressure of high expectations,” Levi explains. “In this dynamic, the affair becomes less about desire and more about boosting self-esteem.”
One of the saddest things about getting cheated on is it can make you start looking at yourself with a microscope, wondering what it is you did wrong or where you lacked. Did you make them feel needed enough? Were you loving enough? Good in bed enough? I saw tweets discussing how someone could cheat on Sabrina, who aside from her gorgeous looks was also openly super horny. But the reality is that even sex isn’t a driving force for cheating all the time.
“A partner may feel disconnected, unappreciated, or taken for granted, even if their sexual relationship is fulfilling,” Levi says. “Some individuals seek novelty or excitement, mistaking the initial rush of an affair for a solution to their personal or relational discontent.”
More than anything, cheating is about the cheater and the cheater alone. Because even when you’re gorgeous, you’re famous, and you even beg someone to “please, please, please” not embarrass you — they can still do it anyway.
