ENTERTAINMENT
Mescal: capturing the compexities of human experience
From stage to screen, the journey of Paul Mescal.
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Amelie Ashforth in Spring Hill, Brisbane
28-year-old Irish actor Paul Mescal has quickly risen from a nobody to stardom and captured the hearts of many in the past few years. With his recent abundance of new films in his discography, what made him stand out from the rest?
Born in Maynooth, Dublin, to parents Paul Mescal Sr. and Dearbhla, Paul was the first of three children. Paul lived a relatively “normal” childhood, with his father being a part of the police force and his mother being a schoolteacher who dabbled in semi-professional acting. This exposure may have been the kicker in both Paul and his younger sister, Nell, obtaining careers in the entertainment industry (Paul being an actor and Nell being a singer/songwriter). While Nell has only released nine singles, she’s been able to play for crowds of thousands. Touring with artists such as Florence + The Machine, Phoebe Bridgers, Dermot Kennedy, and Haim.
Mescal with his mother at the 2023 Oscars
Paul's acting career started at the age of 16, when he played the titular phantom in the musical, The Phantom of the Opera. He later studied drama at Trinity College, Dublin. During this time, he was a standout Gaelic football player but gave up the sport after suffering a broken jaw injury.
After graduating from Trinity, he appeared in several theatrical productions, including The Great Gatsby, The Red Shoes, and The Plough and the Stars. Paul started to make the switch from theatre to screen, making his television debut in the pilot episode of the Irish series Bump.
He later landed his first leading role as Connell Waldron in the coming-of-age drama Normal People, based on the novel by Sally Rooney. The show focuses on the sporadic relationship between two Irish teenagers.
while also exploring their experiences with mental health.
Following the success of “Normal People," Mescal’s career gained momentum, leading to various opportunities in film. Mescal landed three separate leading roles, two of those being in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter, God’s Creatures, directed by Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer. God’s Creatures premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, as did Aftersun, Paul’s third leading role, in which he played a father who travels to Turkey with his 11-year-old daughter, Sophie. Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of the holiday she took with her father. Memories both real and imagined fill the gaps between MiniDV footage as she tries to reconcile the father, she knew with the man she didn’t.
Later, in 2022, Mescal appeared as a troubled war veteran in Benjamin Millepied's Carmen. Mescal’s other 2023 film credits include Foe, a sci-fi drama set in 2065 after a catastrophic world event, starring alongside Soarise Ronan. In the newly released All of Us Strangers, Paul and Andrew Scott portrayed characters who embarked on a romantic relationship while dealing with past trauma.
Mescal holding Sally Rooney’s ‘Normal People.’
In addition to his acting talents, Mescal has also been recognised for his philanthropic efforts and advocacy work. He has used his platform to raise awareness about mental health issues and has supported charitable organisations dedicated to providing assistance to those in need. This, along with his charisma and humble nature, has allowed Mescal’s popularity to grow tremendously. Many fans see him as "relatable,” making them more inclined to support his work.
Overall, I think the rising fame of Paul Mescal is one that is not wasted. His talents are obvious in his beautiful portrayals of characters within his diverse discography. He is able to capture emotion and the human experience wonderfully. If you haven’t already, I would greatly recommend you explore all of his films (you will not be disappointed) and keep your eyes out for his next big hit.
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