Anna Sawai finds playing Yoko Ono 'very meaningful'

The 33-year-old actor will portray the artist opposite Harris Dickinson as husband John Lennon in Sir Sam Mendes' upcoming quartet of films about the Fab Four and she is very excited about the project.

"It's just exciting because (Yoko's) story is so inspirational to me, and people really don't know the true person that she was," she told People magazine.

"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."

The Shogun actor thinks Ono is very "cool".

Asked what she has grown to love most about her character, Sawai said: "Just how bold she is. Oh my God, I love her. She's so cool."

Sawai admitted the past few years felt like a "dream" after her career took off and she won both Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her performance as Lady Mariko in Shogun.

"It feels like a dream," she said.

"It's everything that I wanted to do and I get to tell the stories that are so meaningful to me.

"When I look back to a couple years ago, I was auditioning and just taking on the roles that I would get offered after auditioning. But now I have choices that I can make, and so I feel very, very lucky."

The Beatles biopics - to be released on the same day in April 2028 - will also feature Barry Keoghan as Sir Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Sir Paul McCartney and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sawai's casting was announced in November, along with Saoirse Ronan, Mia McKenna Bruce, and Aimee Lou Wood.

Lady Bird star Ronan will play photographer Linda Eastman, later McCartney, while How to Have Sex actor McKenna Bruce has been cast as Maureen Starkey nee Cox.

The White Lotus actor Lou Wood will play Pattie Boyd.

"Maureen, Linda, Yoko and Pattie are four fascinating and unique figures in their own right - and I'm thrilled that we've managed to persuade four of the most talented women working in film today to join this amazing adventure," director Mendes said.

Lucy Boynton is set to play McCartney's girlfriend Jane Asher, while Harry Lawtey has been cast as the Beatles' original bass guitarist Stuart Sutcliffe.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag actor Farhan Akhtar has signed on to portray influential Indian composer Ravi Shankar, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star Morfydd Clark will take on the role of Lennon's first wife Cynthia Lennon.

Rounding out the cast are James Norton, Harry Lloyd and David Morrissey, who have signed on to play the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, producer George Martin and Sir Paul McCartney's father Jim, respectively.

Australian Associated Press