Barry Keoghan is embracing a transformation, allowing his hair to grow out in preparation for his portrayal of The Beatles' iconic drummer, Ringo Starr, in an upcoming four-part biographical film. At the London premiere of "Crime 101" on Jan. 28, Keoghan, dressed in a leather racing jacket from MAINS, looked strikingly different with a mop-top haircut that was made famous by the "Hey Jude" musician and his bandmates.
But who will join the 33-year-old on the journey down Abbey Road? Paul Mescal will play Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn will step into the shoes of George Harrison, and Harris Dickinson will portray the late John Lennon. For Barry, he aims to "humanize" the legendary group in this musical epic by getting to know Ringo on a more personal level.
"I met him at his house and he played the drums for me," he shared during a May appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. "It was one of those moments where you're just in awe and frozen." In fact, Barry was starstruck throughout the meeting. "When I was talking to him, I couldn't look at him," he admitted. "I was nervous."
Fortunately, the actor was able to come together in the end. "He's like, 'You can look at me,'" Barry recalled, explaining that it was the perfect opportunity to "observe and take in little mannerisms" of Ringo for his role. "He was absolutely lovely, just sitting in the garden chatting away."
So, how does Ringo feel about Barry portraying him on the big screen? "I heard the guy who's playing me was taking drum lessons," he told Entertainment Tonight in 2024, quipping, "and I asked someone to tell him not to take too many."
Directed by Sam Mendes, each movie in this multi-part project will center around one member of The Beatles. "My life as a lad, John's life, Paul's life, George's life, it must interact in some way," Ringo explained to People last year. "There'll be Beatles in mine around when I joined, and there'll be Beatles in Paul's. We'll all be there. So, I'm excited."
