Beatles Biopic Portrayal of Paul McCartney’s ‘Tragic Love Story’ May Be Too ‘Much’ for Him to Watch

There’s quite a lot of ground to cover in the upcoming Beatles biopics, but a source tells Closer that one of the four-part films’ heartbreaking plotlines will center around the death of Paul McCartney‘s beloved first wife, Linda.

“Linda is a big character in the world of the Beatles,” reveals the source, and director Sam Mendes “has opted to make her a huge part of these movies by hiring Saoirse Ronan, who is a four-time Oscar nominee, to play her.”

McCartney, 84, wed Linda in 1969 and the pair, who shared daughters Mary, 57, and Stella, 55, and son James, 49, were married for nearly 30 years. He also adopted the photographer’s daughter Heather, 63, from a previous marriage.

After the Beatles broke up in 1970, “it was Linda who saved” McCartney from his “deep, deep anger,” the “Maybe I’m Amazed” singer told biographer Tom Doyle, per The Times U.K., and the pair went on to play together in the band Wings.

Then in 1998, Linda tragically lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of 56.

“When it comes to Linda’s illness, the movies will go there, and they’re doing it in a tasteful way that is fully aligned with Sir Paul’s own wishes for the project,” insists the source, adding that McCartney has given his full blessing.

Paul Mescal‘s portrayal of McCartney opposite Ronan, 32, will be key to bringing the legendary Beatle’s love story to life on the big screen, Closer‘s source notes.

“The love and the tears have to be real and ultimately, Mescal is great at that stuff,” the source says of the Hamnet star, 30. “It’s genuinely going to be an event for audiences to see … but it could be a little much for the real-life Sir Paul to sit through himself.”

After all, “it’s one thing to read a script for a movie and it’s quite another to see incredible actors playing out your own personal, tragic love story on the screen,” the source admits.