Northern Irish actor Louis McCartney has been cast as Ringo Starr in HAMBURG DAYS, the upcoming BBC drama that will chronicle The Beatles’ formative years in Germany. McCartney, who hails from Helen’s Bay in County Down, is best known to theatre audiences for his acclaimed portrayal of Henry Creel in the West End and Broadway productions of STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW, and his casting marks another significant milestone for Irish talent on the international stage.

The six-part series takes audiences back to the early 1960s, when four young musicians from Liverpool were honing their craft in the clubs and bars of Hamburg — years before they would become the most iconic band in music history. It is a story of ambition, raw energy, and the making of a legend, and the BBC is assembling a cast worthy of the material.

Joining McCartney is Asa Butterfield, best known for SEX EDUCATION, who will take on the pivotal role of Brian Epstein, the visionary manager who discovered The Beatles in 1961 and guided their rise until his untimely death in 1967. Jonny Lee Miller, whose career-defining turn in TRAINSPOTTING remains one of British cinema’s most enduring performances, will play Jim McCartney, Paul’s father, while Christine Tremarco, who recently drew widespread praise for her work in ADOLESCENCE, will portray Mimi Smith, the aunt and guardian who raised John Lennon.

With a compelling ensemble and a story at the very heart of modern music history, HAMBURG DAYS is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated BBC dramas in recent memory.