Ringo Starr praises Barry Keoghan ahead of Beatles biopics

At his birthday celebration yesterday, Ringo Starr expressed his support for Barry Keoghan's upcoming role in The Beatles- A Four-Film Cinematic Event.

Speaking in a TMZ interview, Starr said that rather than a Ringo Starr masterclass ahead of production for the Beatles biopics, he invited Barry Keoghan to his house where they sat down and "talked like real people."

He said "we're all excited. He's such a fine actor. I think I'm in good hands."

Ringo Starr held his annual Peace & Love birthday celebration yesterday, July 7 for his 86th birthday. In Beverly Hills, alongside fellow rock stars and fans from around the world, he said "It’s LA. I love LA, I love the light, and we’re pretty much guaranteed a beautiful day like today."

The four instalments of The Beatles- A Four-Film Cinematic Event are set to be released simultaneously on April 7 2028.

In March this year, director Sam Mendes announced that Irish actors Keoghan and Paul Mescal would play Starr and Paul McCartney respectively. Harris Dickinson is cast as John Lennon and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

In an interview with Deadline on May 13, Keoghan spoke about what it meant to take on the role of Starr. "It’s such a big family out there, and it’s such a big movie, but it has that indie soul to it, where I’m feeling super safe to reach and bring forward the most vulnerable truths and the most… Just really dig deep with the performance as Ringo."

The 33-year-old actor from Summerhill won a BAFTA for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in The Banshees of Inisherin and has been nominated for Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live in May, Keoghan shared his own experience of going to the music legend's house, saying it was "one of those moments where you're just in awe."

"I met him at his house and he played the drums for me," he said. "He asked me to play, but I wasn’t playing the drums for Ringo."