Finally, Academy Award-nominated actor Paul Mescal can talk about playing Paul McCartney in the upcoming Beatles biopics.
Fans met Mescal outside of a theater, presumably the BAM Strong Harvey Theater in Brooklyn, New York, where Mescal is starring in a production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Mescal was asked for his favorite McCartney song, which garnered an audible reaction from the crowd.
“At the moment, I love ‘Helter Skelter,” Mescal said after a few seconds of hesitation.
Paul Mescal’s favourite Paul McCartney song is… 🔥 pic.twitter.com/olgwKVMCyx
— Jaime V. B. (@JaimeVilBar) April 3, 2025
“Helter Skelter” is the penultimate song on side three of the Beatles' White Album. It is one of the earliest examples of heavy metal as we know it now.
Previously, Mescal played coy on being cast as McCartney in the upcoming Beatles biopics. He told ClutchPoints he would “love to be involved wholeheartedly” in November ahead of the release of Gladiator 2.
He added that he was “so curious to see who's going to be involved and what those scripts are going to look like” before clarifying “fundamentally” at the end of the sentence.
At the 2025 CinemaCon, Mescal and the rest of the actors cast as the Fab Four in Sam Mendes' biopics were revealed. Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan, and Joseph Quinn were also cast. They will play John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison, respectively.
All four biopics are set to be released in April 2028. Mendes described them as the “first bingable theatrical experience.” Four films about each member are being made.
Who is playing Paul McCartney actor in the Beatles biopics?
Paul Mescal is an Oscar-nominated actor for his performance in Aftersun, and he will soon play McCartney in Sam Mendes' Beatles biopics. While he is a movie star, Mescal gained fame for his theater work. He previously starred in productions of Angela's Ashes, The Red Shoes, The Great Gatsby, and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
In 2020, Mescal starred in Normal People with Daisy Edgar-Jones. It put him on the map, and he landed roles in The Deceived and the Rolling Stones' music video for “Scarlet” shortly after. He has also appeared in the music video for Phoebe Bridgers' (his former partner) “Savior Complex” from her Punisher album.
His first movie role was in Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. He followed that up with roles in God's Creatures and Aftersun.
Since his Oscar-nominated performance, Mescal has starred in Carmen, All of Us Strangers, Foe, and Gladiator 2. Coming up, he will star in The History of Sound, which he also executive produces.
Now, he stars in an off-Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire. He previously starred in it while it was in London from 2022-23.