Barry Keoghan "couldn't look" at Sir Ringo Starr when he went to visit the Beatles legend.

The 'Banshees of Inisherin' actor is set to play the 84-year-old drummer in director Sam Mendes' four-film series about the group and he was too "nervous" to show off his own musical skills in front of Ringo.

Speaking on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live', Barry said: "I met him at his house, and he played the drums for m. He asked me to play, but I wasn't playing the drums for Ringo.

"And when I was talking to him, I couldn't look at him. I was nervous, like right now. But he's like, 'You can look at me.'"

The 32-year-old actor doesn't want to just "imitate" Ringo in his performance but is keen to "study" the musician as much as he can.

He said: "My job is to observe and kinda taken in mannerisms and study him.

"I want to humanise him and bring feelings to it and not just sort of imitate."

Despite his nerves at their meeting, Barry found Ringo to be "absolutely lovely".

Although Sam only confirmed his cast - Barry, Paul Mescal as Sir Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as the late John Lennon and Joseph Quinn as the late George Harrison - last month, Ringo himself revealed the 'Saltburn' actor was set to play him last November.

Speaking with 'Entertainment Tonight' about the actor's rumoured involvement in the project, Ringo said: "I think it's great.

"I believe he's somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many."

Director Sam previously explained that he pitched the idea of making four films about the 'Hey Jude' group in 2023 and wowed Sony executives Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler with his plans.

He told Deadline last year: "We went out to Los Angeles just before Christmas to pitch the project, and it's fair to say we were met with universal enthusiasm.

"The reason Sony stood out from competing offers was down to Tom and Elizabeth's passion for the idea, and commitment to propelling these films theatrically in an innovative and exciting way."

The movies have the approval of the surviving Beatles, Paul and Ringo, and of John and George's families. It marks the first time both them and rights holders Apple have granted a scripted film full life story and music rights.

It is currently unclear when the movies will be released or in what order.