Many initially thought it was an April Fools’ joke when it was announced on Tuesday that Sam Mendes will direct four Beatles biopics, with Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

“There had to be a way to tell this epic story for a new generation,” Mendes said at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. “I can assure you there’s still plenty left to explore, and I think we’ve found a way to do that.”

The films, titled *The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event*, won’t arrive until April 2028, but while fans debate the cast’s ages, looks, and ability to pull off a Liverpool accent, another question has been buzzing in the *Vogue* group chat: Who will play the women in the Beatles’ lives?

The band’s personal and musical journey was shaped by the women around them—wives, girlfriends, exes, muses, and even female relatives who supported them. There were also the photographers, fellow artists, and the Apple Scruffs, one of the most devoted fanbases ever. Below, *Vogue* makes the case for who should portray these key figures.

### **Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd**
Rumors suggest *The White Lotus* star Aimee Lou Wood is in talks to play Pattie Boyd, the model, photographer, and ex-wife of George Harrison. (Mia Goth has also been floated as an option.) Boyd herself reacted to the news on X: *”I wonder who will be cast to play me? That’s assuming I get to feature in any of the movies…”*

Of course, Joseph Quinn’s George needs his Pattie. She was deeply involved in the band’s world in the ’60s, introducing them to Eastern spirituality, which influenced their music. Harrison’s iconic love song *”Something”* was written about her, and her love triangle with Harrison and Eric Clapton is legendary. Boyd’s life—from working as a shampoo girl in London to modeling, mingling in Swinging Sixties circles, and even appearing in *A Hard Day’s Night*—is practically made for a biopic. Her memoirs, *Wonderful Tonight* and *My Life in Pictures*, offer rich source material.

Given Wood’s charm and range (*Sex Education*, *The White Lotus*), she’d be perfect for the role.

### **Kaia Gerber as Barbara Bach**
Kaia Gerber already has the Bond-girl look, making her ideal to play Barbara Bach, the actress who married Ringo Starr. Bach starred in *The Spy Who Loved Me* before meeting Starr on the set of *Caveman* (1980). They wed in 1981, just months after John Lennon’s death, with McCartney, Harrison, and Starr performing at their wedding. Their marriage endured jealous fans, media scrutiny, a near-fatal car crash, and rehab together in 1988.

With recent roles in *Saturday Night*, *Bottoms*, and *Palm Royale*, Gerber could hold her own opposite Keoghan’s Ringo.

### **Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono**
Emmy and Golden Globe winner Anna Sawai stole hearts with her powerful performance in *Shōgun*—making her the first Japanese woman to win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama. That makes her a natural choice to play Yoko Ono, the avant-garde artist whose relationship with Lennon reshaped the Beatles’ dynamic.

Sawai’s depth and presence would capture Ono’s influence, both as Lennon’s partner and as a groundbreaking artist in her own right.Here’s the rewritten text in clear and natural English:

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Yoko Ono, the unconventional and uncategorizable artist and John Lennon’s partner, will play a major role in the biopic. Despite the unfair accusation that she broke up the Beatles, her deep influence on Lennon’s emotional and creative life is undeniable. Sawai’s emotional range and talent for deep character study make her a perfect fit for the part.

**Honor Swinton Byrne as Linda McCartney**
Honor Swinton Byrne made her acclaimed debut in Joanna Hogg’s *The Souvenir* (2019), portraying a film student balancing creative ambition, a doomed romance, and complex family dynamics. This makes her a compelling choice to play Linda McCartney—photographer, musician, cookbook author, activist, and wife of Paul McCartney, who tragically passed away from breast cancer at 56. Married in 1969, Linda and Paul had a modern love story, weathering the highs and lows of the Beatles’ meteoric rise. Swinton Byrne’s chemistry with Tom Burke in *The Souvenir* suggests she could bring electric energy to Linda and Paul’s dynamic.

**Julia Garner as Maureen Starkey**
Though she’d need a dramatic hair transformation, Julia Garner (*Ozark*, *Inventing Anna*) has proven her chameleonic talent—and she embodies the lively spirit of Maureen “Mo” Starkey, Ringo Starr’s first wife. The Liverpudlian hairdresser met Starr at the Cavern Club, where the Beatles performed. After marrying in 1965, she briefly had an affair with George Harrison in 1972 before divorcing Starr in 1975. She passed away in 1994 after battling leukemia.

**Daisy Edgar-Jones as Olivia Harrison**
With a lineup of character-driven projects in 2025 (*On Swift Horses* among them), Daisy Edgar-Jones would be a natural fit to play Olivia Harrison—music industry figure and George Harrison’s widow. Olivia famously saved her husband from a violent home invader in 1999.

**Cailee Spaeny as Cynthia Lennon**
After her standout performance in Sofia Coppola’s *Priscilla*, where she transitioned seamlessly from an infatuated young Priscilla Beaulieu to a disillusioned woman, Cailee Spaeny would be ideal for Cynthia Lennon—artist, author, and John Lennon’s first wife. The two met in a calligraphy class at Liverpool College of Art, and Cynthia’s two raw, heartfelt memoirs provide rich material for an actor to explore.

**Lola Petticrew as Cilla Black**
In *Say Nothing*, Lola Petticrew delivered a powerful performance as Dolours Price, capturing her emotional depth and intense bond with her sister. That same skill would serve her well as Cilla Black, the cheeky, talented singer from Liverpool whom the Beatles championed early in her career.

**Sadie Sink as Jane Asher**
Jane Asher, the acclaimed English actor and author, was also famously Paul McCartney’s young girlfriend from 1963 to 1968. McCartney wrote songs like *And I Love Her*, *We Can Work It Out*, and *You Won’t See Me* about her. She even joined the Beatles in Rishikesh, India, in 1968 for their transcendental meditation retreat. Their engagement ended that same year. Sadie Sink, with her own experience as a young, accomplished actor across film, TV, and theater, could bring depth to Asher’s story.

**Kiernan Shipka as Stella McCartney**
(Note: The original text cuts off here, but if expanded, it might highlight Shipka’s fashion-forward presence and ability to embody Stella McCartney’s legacy as a designer and Paul’s daughter.)

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Let me know if you’d like any further refinements!Here’s a clearer and more natural rewrite of the text:

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**Kiernan Shipka as Young Stella McCartney**
Depending on the timeline of these biopics and how much they jump around, Kiernan Shipka could easily play a young Stella McCartney.

**Esther Rose McGregor as Astrid Kirchherr**
The *Babygirl* star and Celine/Miu Miu model—also the daughter of Ewan McGregor—has always been close to the world of fame, making her a natural fit for Kirchherr, the photographer who captured the Beatles’ meteoric rise. McGregor’s quiet confidence aligns well with Kirchherr’s poised artistic eye.

**Zendaya as Ronnie Spector**
Okay, this is a bit of a cheat since Zendaya is already set to play Ronnie Spector in Barry Jenkins’ biopic about the legendary Ronettes singer. Spector met the Beatles in London in 1964, and her group became the first (and only) girl group to open for them. Given her close friendship with John Lennon, she could also appear in his biopic.

**Haim as The Apple Scruffs**
The Apple Scruffs were a fiercely loyal, organized fan group—complete with membership cards—who saw themselves as the Beatles’ protectors from more hysterical fans. They eventually befriended the band, inspiring George Harrison’s 1970 song *Apple Scruffs*. After Alana Haim’s role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s *Licorice Pizza*, her sisters could join her in playing the Scruffs, rounding out the group (which had nine members). Maybe dark-haired actresses like Mikey Madison or Margaret Qualley could join in too?

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This version keeps the original meaning while making the text smoother and more engaging. Let me know if you’d like any further refinements!