Sex Education star reveals he missed out on a major role in the new Beatles movies

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Asa Butterfield, known for his role in Sex Education, recently shared that he tried out for the part of George Harrison in Sam Mendes’s new Beatles movies. However, the role ultimately went to Joseph Quinn.

In an interview with The Times, Butterfield discussed the position, but admitted he didn’t know if he was being considered. He jokingly pointed out a connection to the previous occupant of the role, saying, “I play bass, just like Paul did.”

I got the sense he was genuinely excited about the role, and he put it beautifully when he said, “There are just certain parts you really want.”

You know, what’s interesting is that taking on one role often unexpectedly opens doors to others. It’s like, because I said ‘yes’ to this project, I suddenly became eligible for something I never would have even been considered for before. It’s a really cool ripple effect, honestly.

It would have been a “Sex Education” reunion if Butterfield had gotten the part, since his former co-star, Aimee Lou Wood, is playing Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd, in the upcoming four-part movie series.

Joining Quinn as George Harrison, Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, and Barry Keoghan will play Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr, completing the lineup of the Beatles.

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The film will also star Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney, Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono, James Norton as Brian Epstein, Lucy Boynton as Jane Asher, Morfydd Clark as Cynthia Lennon, and Harry Lawtey as Stuart Sutcliffe.

After Sex Education ended in 2023, Asa Butterfield has been in the films Our Hero, Balthazar, and Stitch Head. He’s also got a new sci-fi movie, Rogue Trooper, coming up, and will be starring in the Netflix miniseries Unchosen, which premieres next week.

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The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinema Experience is set to release as a quartet of movies in April 2028.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about film for TopMob, covering new releases in theaters and on streaming services. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time has interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of movies.

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2026-04-16 17:36