Last week, the official casting for Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biopic was released. The rumored casting had been whirling around social media for a while and was quite consistent with the official casting. However, with the official cast announcement at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the internet has had a lot to say.
The Cast
The Biopic is actually not one singular Beatles movie, but instead will be “the first bingeable theatrical experience,” according to Tom Rothman, Sony chief, and as such will consist of four films dedicated to each individual Beatles member. It is unclear what order these films will go in, however, they are all seemingly set to release together in April 2028.
Now, let’s move on to who is going to be playing each Beatle.
Harris Dickinson, known for his roles in Babygirl and Triangles of Sadness, will be playing John Lennon. Paul Mescal, best known for his role as Connell in Normal People and for starring recently in Gladiator II, will be playing Paul McCartney. Joseph Quinn, who rose to success in Stranger Things and is part of the upcoming Fantastic Four film, is playing George Harrison. While Barry Keoghan, who starred in Saltburn and The Banshees of Inisherin, is set to play Ringo Starr. All the casted Beatles represent the new faces of Hollywood, however, some have taken issue with the chosen cast.
As someone who spends too much time on TikTok I have noticed that the response to the casting has been mixed, with some arguing that the actors do not look enough like their Beatles counterpart, people wanting previously rumored cast member Charlie Rowe to play Harrison instead of Quinn, worries that certain actors may not be able to do a Scouse (someone from Liverpool) accent, and the lack of a Scouse actor in the line up. However, the most poignant criticism that I have noticed is that these actors are already famous.
The Beatles’ working-class roots
One might wonder, what is the problem with this? It could be argued that casting well-known actors undermines the story of the Beatles, as four ordinary lads from Liverpool managed to become, in John Lennon’s own words, “More popular than Jesus.” This was a group of guys who, without nepotism or wealth, managed to become the world’s first pop stars. Their working-class Liverpudlian routes define what the band is and what they mean to the working class and particularly working-class Brits. The Beatles showed other working-class kids that success was possible, that they did not have to fall into the typical blue-collar jobs of their towns and cities, and that being working-class was an asset for their creativity. Furthermore, the Beatles being from Liverpool is important, as the city is often overlooked, especially by creative industries. Liverpool has a distinct culture originating from its working class and immigrant routes, which prides itself on multiculturalism, hard-working people, and friendliness. I can, therefore see why some are disappointed to not see a single Scouser cast and not a single new face cast.
Working class people make up such a small amount of creative industries in the UK, with adults from working class backgrounds being four times less likely to work in the creative industry than adults from middle class backgrounds, and 35% of BAFTA-nominated actors being privately educated compared to 7% of the UK being privately educated. The UK has a long history of rampant class inequality that has led many, particularly those who live in Northern areas like Liverpool, to face a lack of access to quality education, a lack of opportunity in creative industries, and an overall neglect by the UK government. As much as we like to believe that the class inequality that existed during the Beatles era has decreased, the people who may be the next Beatles remain neglected and are now more than ever limited in their access to creative industries. It is disappointing to see working-class people being overlooked in the acting industry in favor of already well-established actors, when it is these people who need these opportunities and these people who best represent the Beatles.
The Actors’ credentials
However, all is not lost with this casting, as despite their found success and lack of Scouseness, these well-established actors are not the worst choice. Dickinson has noted himself that “I hadn’t been to drama school, I was from a somewhat working class background”, which limited his acting roles in the UK, and as an East London native, Dickinson is aware of what it is like to grow up working class in the city. Quinn, on the other hand, is the only member of the cast with some connection to Liverpool as his mother is from Liverpool, providing the cast with some Scouse heritage. The other two cast members (Keoghan and Mescal) may not be British, however, their Irish nationality aids them in playing the Beatles, as the Irish are such an integral part of Liverpool, and like many Liverpudlians, all four Beatles have Irish roots. Liverpool is like the British Boston in this regard, with the culture of the city being heavily shaped by its Irish inhabitants, so it does seem fitting to have two Irish men playing the Beatles. If we are going to have well-established actors playing the Beatles, at least these actors share in some of the story of the Beatles, whether this be through class or culture, despite now being world-famous actors. And, let’s be honest, at least they’re not American!
final thoughts
The casting has received both praise and criticism, however, I am inclined to be hopeful about the casting, despite believing that this would have been a good opportunity to introduce some new working-class British actors onto the scene. Castings like this display a wider issue within the British film scene, in which actors and creatives from working-class backgrounds continue to be neglected in favor of actors from upper and middle-class backgrounds, or in this case, for well-known faces. But on a more positive note, out of all the people who could have been picked from Hollywood, the actors do at least represent the identity of the Beatles and show promise. I am therefore still excited to see the films at the cinema!