Paul McCartney Flags Height Detail in Sam Mendes’ Beatles Films
Paul McCartney has expressed support for Sam Mendes’ four-film Beatles biopic series while flagging one detail he disliked. After seeing a still from the Abbey Road filming, he noticed that the actor portraying him, Paul Mescal, looked shorter than the actor playing John Lennon, despite the real band members being roughly the same height. McCartney said on Amy Poehler’s podcast that he messaged Mendes to object.
Sam Mendes is directing a four-part Beatles biopic set for simultaneous release in April 2028. Each installment follows the group through a different member’s perspective, with Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Joseph Quinn, and Barry Keoghan playing McCartney, Lennon, Harrison, and Starr. The project has Apple Corps and surviving members’ approval, plus music rights. Supporting cast includes Saoirse Ronan, Anna Sawai, Aimee Lou Wood, and Mia McKenna-Bruce.
McCartney had already endorsed the films and praised Mescal before they interviewed together. After viewing an Abbey Road filming still, he objected that Mescal appeared shorter than Dickinson. Mendes attributed it to their walking rhythm and sent another image where heights matched. McCartney also had similar concern about Nowhere Boy.
The biopics may shape how younger audiences understand the Beatles’ visual and personal dynamics, while fans and music historians could scrutinize casting accuracy. McCartney’s height anecdote may add lighthearted publicity, potentially drawing attention to the films and to Mescal’s performance. It may also remind viewers that surviving members and estates can influence authorized portrayals, affecting how legacy stories are received.