Paul McCartney flags height concern over Paul Mescal casting in Beatles films
Synopsis
Sir Paul McCartney has gone on record about a surprisingly specific worry regarding Sam Mendes' Beatles films: that Paul Mescal looks shorter than the actor playing John Lennon, repeating a dynamic that upset him in the 2009 biopic 'Nowhere Boy'. He even texted Mendes directly — and Mendes blamed the stride pattern.
Key Takeaways
Sir Paul McCartney , 84 , raised concerns about Paul Mescal appearing shorter than Harris Dickinson (John Lennon) in Sam Mendes' Beatles films.
McCartney made the remarks on Amy Poehler's 'Good Hang' podcast , referencing a still from filming at the Abbey Road crossing.
He previously objected to the same height dynamic in Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 biopic 'Nowhere Boy' , where Thomas Brodie-Sangster played him opposite the taller Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Lennon.
McCartney texted director Sam Mendes directly; Mendes reportedly responded that the difference was 'just the stride pattern.' Mendes' four-film Beatles project is among the most anticipated biographical cinema events in recent years.
Music legend Sir Paul McCartney has voiced a specific concern about Paul Mescal portraying him in director Sir Sam Mendes' upcoming four-film Beatles cinematic project — and it comes down to height.
The Height Issue McCartney Wants Fixed
McCartney, 84, revealed during an appearance on Amy Poehler's 'Good Hang' podcast that Mescal appears shorter than Harris Dickinson, who plays John Lennon, in footage already filmed. He said this dynamic mirrors a frustration he had with Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 biopic 'Nowhere Boy', where actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson's portrayal of Lennon towered over Thomas Brodie-Sangster's McCartney.
'We were all the same height, and Ringo was a bit smaller. And if you look at photos, we're all the same height,' McCartney said on the podcast. He recalled that in 'Nowhere Boy', 'the John character, who she later married, Aaron, he's bigger than me in the film.'
How 'Nowhere Boy' Left McCartney Unhappy
McCartney was candid about his dissatisfaction with the 2009 film, describing how his screen counterpart came across as subordinate to Lennon. 'My character is kind of wimpy. Smaller than John. John knocks me to the floor. And it's like, "Sam, this is not true,"' he said, recounting a conversation with Taylor-Johnson. When the director reportedly told him, 'This is a movie, it's not a documentary,' McCartney said he found the explanation unconvincing — though he acknowledged there was little he could do at that stage since filming had wrapped.
McCartney Texts Mendes Directly
Upon learning that Mescal had been cast alongside Dickinson in Mendes' project, McCartney said he messaged the director personally to flag his concern. 'Guess what? He's smaller than the guy who plays John. Sam Mendes is making the film. I said, "Sam, I've got just one thing that I need to say to you. You know, Paul (Mescal is) a bit smaller,"' he recounted.
He added that Mendes subsequently sent him a still from filming showing the Beatles crossing the iconic Abbey Road crossing. McCartney said the image troubled him: 'The Paul character is markedly smaller. I texted him, "Sam! Smaller? Don't do this! You said you wouldn't do it."'
Mendes' Response to the Concern
According to McCartney, Mendes was quick to offer reassurance. 'He said, "No, it's okay, it's just the stride pattern,"' McCartney recalled, suggesting the director attributed the apparent difference to how the actors were walking rather than an intentional creative choice. Whether that explanation fully satisfied McCartney remains open — though his public airing of the concern suggests he is keeping a close watch on how his story is told on screen.
Mendes' Beatles project — which will give each of the Fab Four their own film — is one of the most anticipated biographical cinema events in recent years, with McCartney's involvement and commentary likely to shape public expectation heading into its release.
Point of View
But it points to something more substantive: living subjects of biopics rarely have enforceable creative input, and their frustrations usually surface only after release. That he is airing this publicly — and in real time, while Mendes is still filming — is unusual leverage. Mendes' 'stride pattern' defence sounds like the polished reassurance of a director who knows he cannot satisfy every subject note but cannot afford a public falling-out with the man whose life story he is adapting. The deeper tension here is the fundamental biopic paradox: the closer the subject is alive and watchful, the harder it is to make a film rather than an authorised portrait.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Paul McCartney concerned about Paul Mescal playing him in the Beatles films?
McCartney's concern is that Mescal appears shorter than Harris Dickinson, who plays John Lennon, in footage already filmed for Sam Mendes' Beatles project. He feels this creates a misleading impression of his relationship with Lennon, repeating a dynamic he disliked in the 2009 biopic 'Nowhere Boy'.
What was McCartney's objection to the 2009 film 'Nowhere Boy'?
McCartney felt the height difference between Thomas Brodie-Sangster (playing him) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (playing Lennon) made his character appear 'wimpy' and subordinate. He argued the portrayal was factually inaccurate, saying the real Beatles were all roughly the same height.
How did Sam Mendes respond to McCartney's concern?
After McCartney texted him about a still showing the Paul Mescal character as 'markedly smaller' at the Abbey Road crossing, Mendes reportedly told him the difference was 'just the stride pattern' and that it would be fine.
Who is playing each Beatle in Sam Mendes' films?
Harris Dickinson has been cast as John Lennon and Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney in Mendes' four-film Beatles project. The casting for George Harrison and Ringo Starr was not detailed in McCartney's podcast appearance.
Where did McCartney share these concerns publicly?
McCartney revealed his reservations on Amy Poehler's 'Good Hang' podcast, where he described both his past frustration with 'Nowhere Boy' and his direct text exchanges with director Sam Mendes over the new films.
