In a recent interview with The Guardian, Julian Lennon opened up about his relationship with The Beatles and his sense of being on the outside of their legacy. Reflecting on the renewed interest in the band, especially with the release of Peter Jackson’s Get Back, the restored Let It Be film, and Martin Scorsese’s Beatles ’64, Julian shared that he’s never been part of the inner circle of The Beatles. He explained, “It’s news to me half the time. I’m not part of the inner circle – I never have been.”
Julian attributed this feeling of separation to his early childhood, noting that after his father John Lennon left, it was just him and his mother, Cynthia, and they had little involvement with the Beatles. “You have to realize that when Dad left, when I was between three and five… it was just mum and me, and we had nothing to do with the Beatles or Dad.”
Julian also spoke about his relationship with his half-brother, Sean Lennon. “I’m thankful that Sean and I get on like a house on fire – we’re best buddies and he tells me what he can, but things are pretty secret on the Beatles front.” The brothers are now closer than ever, though Julian acknowledged that many things about The Beatles are kept out of his reach.
Despite his distance from the band, Julian has always appreciated The Beatles’ music and legacy. “It feels extraordinarily strange, but I’m not upset about it,” he said. “I’d rather be excited and impressed by what they did and continue to do.” As a fan, Julian admitted that he often finds himself curious about their influence, saying, “As a fan, I’m just as curious as anybody else, although I do find myself going, how is it possible that there’s another Beatles film?”
In other news, Julian recently underwent emergency surgery for a second skin cancer diagnosis. After receiving the all-clear from doctors, he updated his followers on December 30, urging them to take their health seriously and to seek medical attention when necessary.
