Paul McCartney Reveals Surprising Conversation With Yoko Ono About John Lennon’s Sexuality
Society of Rock
Paul McCartney has shared a personal memory involving Yoko Ono and a private conversation about John Lennon that took place shortly after the singer’s death. The revelation came from a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair, recently republished alongside the release of Man on the Run, a documentary exploring McCartney’s life after The Beatles.
Lennon and Ono were married in March 1969 and remained together until Lennon was killed on December 8, 1980. Reflecting on that period, McCartney recalled an unexpected phone call from Ono, who shared a thought about her husband that surprised him.
A Private Conversation Remembered
Speaking about the moment, McCartney said Ono contacted him soon after Lennon’s death. According to McCartney, she raised a personal theory about Lennon’s sexuality. He remembered the exchange clearly and described how he responded at the time.
Of Yoko he said: “I swear she rang me shortly after John died and said, ‘You know, I think John might have been gay.’”
McCartney explained that he did not agree with the idea based on his own experiences with Lennon during their years together. “I went, ‘I’m not sure.’ I said, ‘I don’t think so. Certainly not when I knew him.’ Because we’d been in the ’60s. We’d been around with loads and loads of girls. And I bumped into seeing him jacking… a lot of girl action.
“And I’d slept with John very often, but there was never anything. There was never a gesture, never an expression. It was nothing. So I had no reason to believe this at all.”
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Rumors and Longstanding Speculation
McCartney acknowledged that rumors about Lennon’s sexuality had circulated for decades. Much of the speculation centered on Lennon’s close friendship with Beatles manager Brian Epstein, who was openly gay during a time when public attitudes were far less accepting.
Despite those discussions, McCartney said he never believed there was a romantic relationship between Lennon and Epstein. He emphasized that his opinion came from years of personal friendship and shared experiences within the band.
Lennon’s personal life remained widely discussed after his death. He and Ono welcomed their son Sean Ono Lennon in 1975. Lennon also had an older son, Julian Lennon, born in 1963 during his marriage to Cynthia Lennon, which lasted from 1962 to 1968. Ono has a daughter, Kyoko Ono Cox, with filmmaker Anthony Cox, and was previously married to composer Toshi Ichiyanagi.
Reflecting on Legacy and Criticism
The renewed attention to McCartney’s comments comes as he promotes Paul McCartney: Man On The Run, a Prime Video documentary examining his years after The Beatles’ breakup. The film looks at his solo career and his work with Wings while also revisiting the emotional aftermath of the band’s split.
During conversations connected to the documentary, McCartney admitted he struggled with criticism that blamed him for ending The Beatles. Speaking with director Morgan Neville, he reflected openly on how those claims affected him.
He remarked: “Whenever I hear someone damning Paul McCartney, I tend to agree with them.
“So when everyone was saying I broke up the Beatles, and I was just overbearing and all of that, I kind of bought into it.”
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Personal Memories Resurface
McCartney also spoke about the emotional impact of watching archival footage included in the documentary, particularly scenes featuring his late wife, Linda McCartney, who died in 1998. The couple shared four children: Heather, Mary, Stella, and James.
He said revisiting those moments brought strong feelings as he watched his past unfold on screen. “Seeing me and Linda interacting is very special because, you know, she is not here anymore. Me and Linda, the kids. The music. Me and John [Lennon].
“These memories, it is like a life flashing in front of you. There are so many cool things. Even though there are some embarrassing moments, I come out of it thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m OK’.
“All the stuff with the kids and Linda is lovely to see. Obviously, it’s emotional because she looks so beautiful. She’s so cool.”
