Barry Keoghan has “work to do” if he’s going to pull off a convincing Ringo Starr.
According to the Beatles alum himself, Keoghan has been cast as Starr in the four-part film series directed by Sam Mendes. Paul Mescal is also rumored to be cast as a fellow Beatle — perhaps Paul as Paul (McCartney)?
“I think it’s great,” Starr told Entertainment Tonight of Keoghan’s casting. “I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”
IndieWire has reached out to Keoghan’s representatives for comment.
Starr, Paul McCartney, and the families of late Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison have granted full life-story and music rights for the scripted film.
Mendes will direct all four biopics, each of which will center on one band member’s POV. Per the official announcement, the films will “intersect” with each other and “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.” The first installment is set to be in theaters in 2027 from Sony Pictures.
Mendes will produce the four films along with his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris, and their colleague Julie Pastor. Jeff Jones will executive produce for Apple Corps Ltd.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes said in a press statement.
Keoghan’s been busy acting on the music scene. He appeared in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” music video, and Dublin-based band Fontaines D.C. used footage from Andrea Arnold’s “Bird” featuring Keoghan’s character for music video “Bug.”
“I seem to be in music videos everywhere,” Keoghan recently told IndieWire. This next gig will take it up a notch.
When he puts the drumsticks down, Keoghan may (respectfully) let it be known that he’s available for a “Saltburn” reunion with writer/director Emerald Fennell and co-star Jacob Elordi for Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights.” Margot Robbie, who produced “Saltburn,” is leading the film.
“I’m not going to say I’m waiting on the script,” Keoghan told IndieWire, “but if there’s a part there that made sense, anyone that I’ve worked with before I would work with them in a heartbeat. I don’t want to bug her about it, but yeah, if the part made sense.”
