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Former Beatles member Ringo Starr gave Sam Mendes 'extensive notes on the upcoming biopic about the band
Ringo Starr revealed he gave Sam Mendes detailed feedback on the upcoming Beatles biopic project, specifically about his relationship with his first wife.
British musician Ringo Starr had a few things to say when he read the script for the upcoming Beatles biopic series — and he made sure director Sam Mendes heard them.
The former Beatles drummer revealed he gave Sam “extensive notes” on the script covering his life, especially regarding his first wife, Maureen Starkey Tigrett, and their family. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Ringo said that he spent two days with Sam going over every detail. “He had a writer — very good writer, great reputation, and he wrote it great, but it had nothing to do with Maureen and I. That’s not how we were. I’d say, ‘We would never do that’,” said the 84-year-old musician.
Though Ringo didn’t name which screenwriter was responsible, the Beatles films are being penned by a trio of acclaimed writers: Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari, Spectre), Oscar winner Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Conclave), and Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes, Adolescence).
Actor Barry Keoghan is set to play Ringo in the project, which will consist of four separate films — one for each member of the Beatles. Sam had revealed the ambitious plan at CinemaCon in May, introducing his cast that includes Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.
Ringo, who married Maureen in 1965 and divorced her in 1975, shares three children with her: Zak Starkey, who followed in his father’s footsteps as a drummer for The Who; Jason Starkey; and daughter Lee. After going through the script line-by-line, Ringo also said he’s now satisfied with how his life is portrayed.
However, he’s still skeptical about the production timeline. All four films are set to hit theaters simultaneously in April 2028, and Ringo isn’t entirely convinced Sam will make that deadline. “But he’ll do what he’s doing and I’ll send him peace and love,” he said.
