John Lennon’s sister has taken aim at Paul Mescal’s casting in the upcoming Beatles biopic.
Last year director Sam Mendes announced plans for four biopics of each individual member of the band – Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison.
Then, after months of speculation about who would be stepping into the lead roles, it was announced that Babygirl star Harris Dickinson would play Lennon, Normal People’s Mescal would play McCartney, Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan would be Starr and Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn would take on Harrison.
However, when the casting was revealed, many questioned the choices, with many saying they couldn’t see any sort of resemblance between the actors and the Fab Four.
A few months on, Lennon’s sister Julia Baird has said she thinks the roles should have gone to lesser-known actors, specifically challenging Mescal being selected.
While attending the Live Odyssey VIP Launch at The Stables Market in Camden, Julia, 78, told MailOnline there were many actors ‘waiting for a chance’ to get their big break.
She added that Mescal had been ‘in everything’. After making his screen debut in the 2020 series Normal People, the 29-year-old Irish actor has starred in films including Gladiator II, Aftersun and All of Us Strangers.
Continuing to speak about his casting, Baird went on: ‘Well he’s in everything! What’s wrong with Liverpool? We have actors, and they speak the language.
‘I don’t think anything other than, have they been investigated and looked at Liverpool actors? Paul Mescal is in everything – get real, come on.
‘There are more actors out there waiting for a go, and for a chance. It will be interesting to see what kind of accent he comes up with, because nobody can do a Liverpool accent. They all get it wrong.’
Baird, a retired teacher, pointed out that Liverpool had plenty of acting schools and questioned why casting directors for the film hadn’t chosen up-and-coming actors rather than established names.
When asked if she would watch the first biopic when it’s released in 2028, she quipped: ‘If I’m still around.’
The four films, titled The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event, will all be released in the same month.
Mendes has said that Sony Picture’s film boss Tom Rothman called the movies ‘the first binge-able theatrical experience’.
Speaking about the films at last month’s CinemaCon 2025, the director explained his films could allow viewers to ‘understand the band members a little more deeply’.
‘Frankly, we need big cinematic events to get people out of the house.
‘There had to be a way to tell the epic story for a new generation. I can assure you there is still plenty left to explore, and I think we found a way to do that.’
After forming in Liverpool in 1960, The Beatles are now considered to be the most influential band of all time.
They performed live together for the last time in January 1969 before Lennon left the band. In 1980 he died aged 40 after being shot by a crazed fan, while Harrison died in 2001 from cancer.
Over the years there have been 18 biopics on the band released.
Metro has contacted representatives for Paul Mescal for comment.
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