Barry Keoghan is preparing to play Ringo Starr in Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics, but he’s not quite ready to show off his drumming skills.
In an interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Wednesday night, Keoghan shared that he’s finally met the music legend face to face. “I met him at his house and he played the drums for me,” he said, adding: “He asked me to play, but I wasn’t playing the drums for Ringo.”
The “Saltburn” actor reminded Kimmel that Starr was in fact the one to leak his casting to the press back in November. “He let the news out,” Keoghan said. “He was like, ‘Barry is somewhere doing drums. I think he should stop and do anymore.’”
Keoghan said meeting Starr was “one of those moments when you’re just in awe” and he “just froze.”
“When I was talking to him, I couldn’t look at him. I was nervous,” Keoghan said. “But he’s like, ‘You can look at me.’ And again, you’re playing Ringo Starr. My job is to observe and take in the mannerisms and study.”
Keoghan will be playing Starr across four separate Beatles biopics directed by Mendes, which are set for theatrical release in April 2028. Alongside Keoghan, Paul Mescal is playing Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson will star as John Lennon and Joseph Quinn is portraying George Harrison.
Of embodying Starr, Keoghan said he wants “to humanize and bring feelings to it and not just sort of imitate,” adding that their interaction “was absolutely lovely” and they “just sat in the garden chatting away.”
Watch Keoghan’s full interview with Kimmel below.
