“feels Like A Dream”: Anna Sawai Talks Playing Yoko Ono In Sam Mendes’ Upcoming Beatles Films

Anna Sawai is stepping into 1 of nan astir misunderstood roles successful popular civilization history — and she’s doing it pinch reverence.

The 33-year-old character will represent Yoko Ono successful nan upcoming quartet of Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes. Each movie will beryllium told from nan position of a different bandmate, pinch each 4 slated for merchandise connected nan aforesaid time successful April 2028.

Speaking to People astatine nan play 2 premiere of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in Los Angeles connected Feb. 19, Sawai shared what draws her to Ono — an creator agelong vilified successful Beatles lore, yet seldom understood connected her ain terms.

“It’s conscionable breathtaking because [Ono’s] communicative is truthful inspirational to me, and group really don’t cognize nan existent personification that she was,” she said.

For Sawai, nan domiciled is much than a casting coup. It’s a chance to reframe nan communicative astir a female who was often reduced to a footnote successful personification else’s story.

“She’s an unthinkable artist. And also, she conscionable was an independent female and group didn’t for illustration that. They wanted John [Lennon] for themselves and she was an easy target. And I deliberation it’s very meaningful for maine to beryllium capable to show her story,” she added.

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Ono — a boundary-pushing multimedia creator agelong earlier and agelong aft her narration pinch John Lennon — has remained a lightning rod successful conversations astir fame, feminism, and blame. Sawai’s portrayal arrives astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile taste retrospectives are progressively reassessing nan women history sidelined.

Asked what she’s grown to emotion astir about Ono, Sawai didn’t hesitate.

“Just really bold she is,” Sawai said, adding, “Oh my God, I emotion her. She’s truthful cool.”

The domiciled marks different milestone successful a meteoric fewer years for nan New Zealand–born, Japan-raised actor. After earning some an Emmy successful 2024 and a Golden Globe successful 2025 for her capacity arsenic Lady Mariko in Shōgun, Sawai has quickly go 1 of Hollywood’s astir compelling cross-cultural stars.

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Titled The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, nan eager task is produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Neal Street Productions, and Apple Corps. All 4 films will debut simultaneously connected April 7, 2028, each unfolding from nan position of 1 member: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

The ensemble formed includes Harris Dickinson arsenic Lennon, Paul Mescal arsenic McCartney, Joseph Quinn arsenic Harrison, Barry Keoghan arsenic Starr, and Saoirse Ronan arsenic Linda McCartney.

“It feels for illustration a dream. It’s everything that I wanted to do and I get to show nan stories that are truthful meaningful to me,” she said.

That consciousness of gratitude is sharpened by perspective.

“When I look backmost to a mates years ago, I was auditioning and conscionable taking connected nan roles that I would get offered aft auditioning. But now I person choices that I tin make, and truthful I consciousness very, very lucky,” she explained.