It’s not every day you meet a Beatle — let alone play one. But for Barry Keoghan, stepping into the legendary shoes of Ringo Starr for the upcoming Beatles biopic has already meant brushing up against musical history. And it’s left him more than a little shaken.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Keoghan shared the surreal details of his recent visit to Starr’s home.
"I met Ringo the other day in his house… He played the drums for me. He asked me to play, but I wasn't playing the drums for Ringo," Keoghan laughed, clearly still in disbelief.
But the nerves ran deeper.
"When I was talking to him, I couldn't look at him. I was nervous. 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. I want to bring forward, and to humanize and bring feelings to it, and not just sort of imitate."
Keoghan is part of Sam Mendes’ ambitious project — a series of four interconnected Beatles films, each told from the perspective of one band member. The Ringo Starr film, with Keoghan in the lead, is set to bring the quiet wit and rhythm of the drummer into the spotlight like never before. The project, titled The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event is scheduled for release in April 2028.
