Irish actor Paul Mescal has revealed he will be performing his own singing in the highly anticipated Beatles biopic series, where he is set to portray a young Sir Paul McCartney.
Mescal's Deep Dive into the Role of a Legend
In an exclusive interview with British GQ, the 29-year-old star of Hamnet and Normal People opened up about the transformative process of preparing for the role. "I've learned so much," Mescal stated. "It's really inspired a love." He elaborated that the project has profoundly changed his relationship with music. "I've always loved music, but getting to play one of the great songwriters and great frontmen has really lit a fire in terms of personally writing music and engaging and hearing music in a different way."
Mescal joins a stellar cast for the Sir Sam Mendes-directed Sony Pictures project, which includes Barry Keoghan as Sir Ringo Starr, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison. The ambitious series will consist of four films, each focusing on a different member of the iconic band, and are scheduled for release in April 2028.
Meeting McCartney and Cast Camaraderie
The actor shared that he has been fortunate enough to meet the music legend he is portraying on two occasions. He described Sir Paul as "the most brilliant man" and admitted, "I feel emotionally attached to him. He received me with great kindness and warmth." Mescal also highlighted a unique benefit of the project: "One of the many benefits of shooting a Beatles anthology is that you get to do the job and not talk about the job."
His co-star, Harris Dickinson, who plays John Lennon, praised Mescal's approach to the role, noting "his morals are in the best place." The supporting cast is equally impressive, featuring Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd, Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney, Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, and Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono.
A Career at a Crossroads
The news comes shortly after Mescal gave an interview to The Guardian, where he reflected on being five or six years into his career. While expressing he feels "very lucky," he also signalled a potential shift in his work pace, learning that "I don't think I can go on doing it as much." When asked if this meant he would start rationing his future roles, he responded, "I think so. I'm gonna have to start doing that. For sure."
Mescal is currently receiving critical acclaim for his performance alongside Jessie Buckley in the film Hamnet. The Beatles, formed in 1960, remain the best-selling musical act in history, with 18 UK number one singles and 16 UK number one albums to their name.
The full interview with Paul Mescal is available in the February issue of British GQ, on digital download and newsstands from Tuesday, 27 January.
