Shōgun star teases iconic The Beatles movie role: "People don't know the true person"

Anna Sawai has opened up about her casting as Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes' ambitious four-part The Beatles film series, which is currently in production.

The never-before-attempted "cinematic event" consists of four interconnected films, to be released simultaneously in April 2028, each one taking the perspective of a different member of the iconic rock band.

The main cast of The Beatles biopics is expected to appear across the entire series, although the size of their roles will obviously vary based on their proximity to the person in focus.

Presumably, Sawai will be working most closely with Harris Dickinson (Babygirl, The Iron Claw) as he plays singer, songwriter and guitarist John Lennon, who famously married artist Ono in 1969.

During their relationship and for many years after, Ono was subject to harsh criticism by The Beatles fans and the media, who blamed her in no small part for the band's break-up and showed disdain towards her own artwork.

Sawai suggested (via People) that the upcoming films will offer a more nuanced view of the woman and her situation.

"It's just exciting because her story is so inspirational to me," she began, "and people really don't know the true person that she was. She's an incredible artist. And also, she just was an independent woman and people didn't like that.

"They wanted John [Lennon] for themselves and she was an easy target. And I think it's very meaningful for me to be able to tell her story... I love her, she's so cool."

The Beatles films is arguably Sawai's biggest project to date, following her breakout role in FX/Disney Plus period piece Shōgun, which earned her an Emmy Award for best lead actress in a drama series.

Previously, the New Zealander had been known for Apple TV originals Pachinko and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, plus an early role in BBC Two crime thriller Giri/Haji.

In addition to Sawai and Dickinson, The Beatles films also star Paul Mescal (Hamnet) as Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn (Fantastic Four) as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan (Crime 101) as Ringo Starr.

In a separate interview with Variety, Sawai teased that the quartet of lead actors are performing uncanny The Beatles covers on set.

"They're not even looking at the sheet music anymore," she revealed. "They can just play it off and sing it, and it really sounds like The Beatles to me. It feels surreal."

The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event is coming to cinemas in April 2028.

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