Director Sam Mendes is recreating a pivotal moment in Beatles history for his upcoming film project, which focuses on the Fab Four. The production recently staged scenes depicting Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr’s 1964 yacht trip around the Virgin Islands, a private getaway devised to escape the height of Beatlemania. The original three-week voyage was conducted under a veil of secrecy, with the two musicians using false names to avoid public attention as they sought respite from their intense fame.

The recreated scenes were filmed off Spain’s Costa Brava coast, standing in for the Caribbean setting. Actors Paul Mescal, 30, and Barry Keoghan, 33, who portray McCartney and Starr respectively, were seen aboard a replica of the Happy Days, the 30-foot yacht used during the original journey. Alongside them were Lucy Boynton, 32, known for her role in Bohemian Rhapsody, playing McCartney’s then-girlfriend Jane Asher, and Mia McKenna-Bruce, 28, cast as Maureen Cox, who would become Starr’s first wife shortly after the trip.

The May 1964 excursion has been shrouded in limited detail beyond McCartney’s own accounts. According to the musician, it was during this trip that he composed the ballad “Things We Said Today” while below deck, suffering from seasickness. Observers noted Mescal strumming a guitar on deck during filming—a subtle homage to that moment. McCartney recalled in his memoirs that the song came together quickly and, like his other compositions, he was eager to share it with those on the boat, his immediate audience at the time.

Starr himself has been serving as a consultant on the film, advising on accuracy and helping fact-check scenes, which is expected to enhance the authenticity of the portrayal. Mendes is undertaking an ambitious project with plans to release four biopics focusing individually on each member of the Beatles, slated for 2028.

On set, some reports emerged of tensions involving Barry Keoghan. Crew members allegedly expressed frustration with the actor’s punctuality and the involvement of his younger brother, Eric, who is assisting him. However, Keoghan maintained an amicable rapport with Mescal, with the two actors often seen interacting closely during filming, suggesting a collegial relationship despite behind-the-scenes challenges.

The film aims not only to dramatize the Beatles’ rise and personal dynamics but also to offer fans insight into lesser-known episodes of their early career through meticulously recreated scenes and direct contributions from the band themselves.