Shōgun star Anna Sawai has addressed rumors that she is in the running to play Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes’ The Beatles movies. Announced in February 2024, Mendes is helming a musical biopic franchise that will see four interconnected films told from the perspective of each band member. While early reports suggested that Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, and Charlie Rowe are set to play John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison, none of those castings have been officially confirmed. Later rumors also linked The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Joseph Quinn to Harrison’s role.
Speaking with Deadline at this year’s SAG Awards, Sawai shot down suggestions that she had been selected to play Ono, Lennon’s widow and renowned performance artist, in the Beatles movies. Suggesting that “a rumor is just a rumor,” the Shōgun star revealed that she is still in the process of selecting her next project and is currently reading several potential scripts. Check out her comments below:
I think a rumor is just a rumor. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do, so I’m reading a lot of scripts. I’m also doing a lot of meetings and I just want to make sure that what I’m choosing is the right thing. So it might take time for me to find the right project, but I’m trying to be selective so that I can surprise everyone who’s going to watch it.
No Official Cast Confirmations Have Yet Been Made
Sawai is not the only actor to publicly downplay suggestions that they are being courted to join Mendes’ ambitious Beatles project. Earlier this year, Quinn also skirted suggestions that he was the preferred choice to play Harrison, saying “I don’t know what you are talking about. I like all of the Beatles.” Similarly, Babygirl’s Dickinson, who is rumored to be playing Lennon, admitted that while he would be excited about the prospect of playing the legendary musician, he also did not know about his potential participation.
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As such, it is difficult to determine whether Sawai’s statement is genuine or whether she is also seeking to merely downplay rumors until a more formal announcement is made about her casting in the Beatles movies. Not even Paul Mescal’s and Barry Keoghan’s participation has been officially confirmed, despite previous statements made by Gladiator II director Ridley Scott and the real-life Ringo that appeared to support their reported casting.
Our Take On Yoko Ono’s Role In The Beatles Movies
She Is A Major Part Of The Band’s Enduring Legend
While it is unclear whether Mendes’ movies will depict Ono’s life with Lennon following the dissolution of the group, her character is still bound to play a major part in the project. While Ono’s name has frequently been touted as a catalyst for the Beatles’ eventual split, she has also been a stalwart champion of Lennon’s enduring legacy and a key player in many later projects, including Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back documentary series. Regardless of her denials, Sawai’s critically acclaimed tenure in Shōgun proves that she would be an exciting pick to portray Ono in Mendes’ Beatles movies.
Source: Deadline
Shogun
8/10
- Release Date
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2024 – 2025
- Directors
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Fred Toye, Jonathan van Tulleken, Charlotte Brändström, Takeshi Fukunaga, Hiromi Kamata
- Writers
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Rachel Kondo
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Hiroyuki Sanada
Yoshii Toranaga
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Cosmo Jarvis
John Blackthorne
