Barry Keoghan finally got to meet Ringo Starr, who he is set to portray in the upcoming Beatles biopics, and the two “just sat in the garden chatting away” during the meeting.
Keoghan appeared on Wednesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and told the late night host that he only recently met the Beatles drummer for the first time at his home, and that Starr even played the drums for him.
“He asked me to play but I wasn’t playing the drums for Ringo,” Keoghan said, adding that Starr’s private drum performance “just kind of naturally happened” and that “it was sort of one of those moments where you’re just in awe.”
Keoghan admitted his nerves got the best of him and that at one point he told Starr he “couldn’t look at him.” Eventually, the “Saltburn” actor started to relax so that he could absorb what Starr is like in real life to help him craft his portrayal in the Sam Mendes-directed suite of biopics.
“My job is to observe and take in all kinds of mannerisms and study him,” Keoghan said. “I want to humanize him and bring feelings to him and not just sort of imitate.”
In November, Starr broke the news that Keoghan was cast to portray him during an interview with Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier, saying he thought it was “great” that Keoghan got the part and that he believed he was “somewhere taking drum lessons.”
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