'Blitz' star and 4-time Oscar nominee cast as Paul McCartney's Wife in Beatles Biopic movie
Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan will play Paul McCartney's first wife, Linda in the Beatles Biopic movie. The news was reported by Deadline with the 'Blitz' star joining Paul Mescal as McCartney, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. Directed by Sam Mendes, the movie is a four-film cinematic event, with each member of the iconic band getting their story told. Ronan is expected to play a major role in McCartney's segment.
Linda rose to fame for her impressive portraiture of top bands and musicians, including Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones. She was the first woman photographer to have her work featured on the cover of Rolling Stone. She married McCartney in 1969 and worked with the band. As a musician and animal rights activist, she actively advocated for animal welfare. She died of cancer in 1998. Much of Ronan's role in the other three films is yet to be determined, the report added.
Ronan has seen a steady rise in her acting career after her breakthrough performance in 'Atonement' (2007). She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She later starred in 'The Lovely Bones' and 'Hanna'. Her next major role saw her nominated for Best Actress for playing an Irish immigrant in 'Brooklyn'.
On the movie front, the Beatles stars shared their thoughts on the upcoming movie. "We all support the Sam Mendes movie project. Yes, indeed,” Starr said on social media when the films were announced. Starr even weighed in on Keoghan being cast to play him. "I think he’s great," he told Entertainment Tonight. "I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons. I hope not too many."
McCartney is yet to share his take on Mescal playing him in the biopic. Mendes believed the movie was more than just a biopic. "We’re not just making one film about the Beatles — we’re making four,” he said. "Perhaps this is a chance to understand them a little more deeply," according to The Guardian.
As for Keoghan, playing Starr was a dream come true and admitted to feeling nervous during their interactions. "When I was talking to him, I couldn’t look at him. I was nervous, like right now. He said, ‘You can look at me,’ And again — you’re playing Ringo Starr,” the actor said. “My job is to observe and take in kind of mannerisms and study, but I want to humanize him and bring feelings to him, not just sort of imitate him."
At the time of writing, there is no official release date, though 2028 has been pencilled as the year of release.
