Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics have found their Brian Epstein, Deadline reports, with sources telling the outlet that English actor James Norton will be playing the Fab Four’s manager. While representatives for Sony declined to comment, if confirmed, Norton will be joining Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson and Joseph Quinn, who will be playing Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison respectively. Other actors said to be attached to the project include Shogun‘s Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono and The White Lotus’ Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd; the latter casting was confirmed by Boyd herself on social media. Norton’s most recent role was on Netflix’s House of Guinness, and his other credits include roles in War & Peace, Grantchester and Happy Valley, as well as Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of Little Women and an upcoming role in House of the Dragon season three. Brian Epstein managed The Beatles from 1961 until his premature death at the age of 32 in 1967, which Lennon later said was the beginning of the end of the band. Paul McCartney famously said of Epstein, “If anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Brian.”
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