Casting concerns raised with director
Paul McCartney has expressed reservations regarding the casting of Paul Mescal in Sam Mendes’ upcoming multi-film project, The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event. Speaking on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast, McCartney stated that he was concerned Mescal appeared “markedly shorter” than his co-stars, specifically noting a size difference compared to the actor portraying John Lennon.
McCartney shared that he reached out directly to director Sam Mendes to voice his worries before filming commenced. “I said, ‘Sam, I’ve got just one thing that I need to say to you. Paul’s a bit smaller,’” McCartney recalled on the podcast.
Abbey Road stills and director response
McCartney’s concerns were heightened following behind-the-scenes photography from filming in London last August, where the cast recreated the iconic 1969 Abbey Road album cover. After seeing a still from the crosswalk shoot, McCartney texted the director again to question the height difference.
According to McCartney, Mendes reassured him about the visual perspective, replying that the discrepancy was “just the stride” and subsequently sending another photograph where the actors appeared equal in height.
The upcoming biopic project
Announced by Deadline in February 2024, Sam Mendes is set to direct each installment of the ambitious four-film cinematic event through Neal Street Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The project aims to tell the band’s story from each member’s individual point of view.
The cast features Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.