Who wouldn't be apprehensive about encountering the legendary Ringo Starr? During a recent guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Barry Keoghan confessed that he was so overcome with nerves that he "couldn't even bear to glance" at the iconic drummer when they met "just the other day," as he prepared to embody Starr in the forthcoming Beatles biopic. "It was a moment of sheer awe that left me completely rooted to the spot," he reminisced about his visit to Starr's home, where the musician even graciously "played the drums for" the actor.
Host Jimmy Kimmel inquisitively asked if the Saltburn star had deliberately observed Starr's drumming technique to aid his portrayal. "Yes, I did... And even while conversing with him, I couldn't meet his gaze. I was as jittery as I am now," Keoghan recounted. "He even said, 'You can look at me,'" but even then, "you're playing Ringo Starr. My role is to observe, absorb his mannerisms, and study him, but I aspire to humanize him and infuse him with emotions, rather than merely mimicking him."
The Hurry Up Tomorrow actor further noted that the drummer was "exceptionally charming" during their encounter and that they mostly "spent time sitting in the garden, engaging in animated chatter."
Joining Keoghan, Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, and Harris Dickinson will portray Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon, respectively. Sam Mendes is helming the Beatles movie biopic, with all four films slated for a theatrical release in April 2028. When the Fab Four cast was unveiled at CinemaCon in Las Vegas earlier this year, Mendes revealed that they were crafting four films to provide "a deeper insight into their lives."
