Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 05:33, 10 September 2021

Paul Mescal (/ˈmɛskəl/; born 2 February 1996) is an Irish actor. He is best known for his starring role in the miniseries Normal People (2020), which earned him a British Academy Television Award as well as nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award. He was also a big bully in high school. He harassed gay classmates.

Early life and education

Mescal was born on 2 February 1996 in Maynooth, County Kildare to Dearbhla, a Garda officer, and Paul, a schoolteacher who also acted semi-professionally. The eldest of three children, he has a brother and a sister. He attended Maynooth Post Primary School. He was a minor and under-21 Gaelic football player for Kildare and a member of the Maynooth GAA club. Gaelic footballer Brian Lacey praised Mescal's skills as a defender, while physical trainer Cian O'Neill described him as "mature beyond his years very developed and very strong". He gave up the sport after a jaw injury. Mescal performed on stage for the first time at age 16, portraying the titular Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, after which he auditioned and gained admission to The Lir Academy at Trinity College Dublin. Mescal graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting in 2017. He had secured agents for his acting career prior to his graduation.

Career

Upon graduating from drama school, Mescal was offered roles in two theatrical productions, Angela's Ashes and The Great Gatsby; he took on the latter and starred as the titular Jay Gatsby at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. He also portrayed the Prince in a contemporary retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Red Shoes at the same theatre that year. In 2018, he attained a role in the play The Plough and the Stars at the Lyric Theatre in London. The actor played Bryan in the world premiere of the 2018 play Asking for It by Louise O'Neill at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin; Steve Cummins of The Times commended his distinctive performance. That same year, Mescal starred in the Rough Magic Theatre Company's productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man for the Kilkenny Arts Festival and the Dublin Theatre Festival, respectively. In the meantime, he appeared in a commercial for Denny sausages. In 2020, he performed in the play The Lieutenant of Inishmore at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre.

Mescal starred in his first television role opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones in the drama series Normal People, an adaptation of the 2018 novel of the same name by Sally Rooney. It premiered in the UK on BBC Three on 26 April 2020 and in the US on Hulu three days later. He played student Connell Waldron, whom he viewed as different from himself in the way Waldron's traits include hesitance and emotional unavailability. Like the actor did in real life, the character plays Gaelic football and attends Trinity College. Mescal's performance earned him acclaim as well as the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. In their respective reviews for Variety and Slate, Caroline Framke called Mescal's navigation through the character's emotional collapse "breathtaking", while Willa Paskin praised his concurrent embodiment of "intelligence, insecurity and quiet confidence". He also received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries.

In July 2020, Mescal performed spoken word and sang with Dermot Kennedy at the London Natural History Museum. He also starred in Drifting, a short film, which was screened at the 2020 Galway Film Fleadh. Mescal played a firefighter in the Channel 5 miniseries The Deceived and appeared in the music video for the song "Scarlet" by The Rolling Stones the following month. Reviewing The Deceived, The Independent critic Ed Power highlighted Mescal's effortless "sleepy-eyed charm" and "flawless" Donegal accent. The actor performed in a virtual stage reading of the play This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan as part of a series to benefit the charity the Actors Fund of America in October. In December, he appeared in Phoebe Bridgers' music video for the song "Savior Complex", directed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Mescal will make his feature film debut in The Lost Daughter, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal in her directorial debut. He will portray lead roles in Carmen, a contemporary film adaptation of the opera of the same name, and God's Creatures, a psychological drama. He is set to star in the films Bring Them Down, a thriller, and Foe, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Iain Reid.

Personal life

Mescal resides in London. He plays the piano.

Acting credits

Film

Television

Music videos

Theatre

Awards and nominations

References

1. "Paul Mescal: Age, Height & Dating Details Of 'Normal People' Actor". Capital FM. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
2. Armstrong, Maggie (11 January 2020). "Readers' expectations are the 'biggest source of anxiety' – Paul Mescal on tackling role of Connell in Normal People". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
3. ^ Paiella, Gabriella (19 October 2020). "How Paul Mescal Became the Crush of the Year". GQ. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
4. Glasgow, Abigail (29 April 2020). "'Normal People' Star Paul Mescal Showed His Parents the Sex Scenes". Paper. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
5. Lloyd, Brian (2 May 2020). "Here's 'Normal People' star Paul Mescal performing 'Phantom of the Opera' as a teen". Entertainment.ie.
6. Wild, Stephi. "VIDEO: Teenage Paul Mescal Stars in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA". BroadwayWorld.com.
7. Ward, Patrick (16 December 2017). "From Kildare football star to Irish theatre star – Mescal revelling on a new stage". Kildare Now. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
8. Regan, Jarlath (25 April 2020). "Paul Mescal". An Irishman Abroad (Podcast). SoundCloud. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
9. Lawlor, Damian (28 July 2017). "Lacey backs Kildare to prosper without one that got away". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
10. Keane, Paul (14 May 2020). "Former Kildare boss Cian O'Neill got a glimpse of Paul Mescal's acting talent". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
11. ^ Fitch Little, Harriet (16 March 2020). "Meet the Charismatic Stars of the Highly-Anticipated Normal People Adaptation". Vogue. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
12. ^ Heaf, Jonathan (28 November 2020). "Paul Mescal: 'I had no control over one of the biggest moments in my life'". British GQ. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
13. Fenwick, George (1 June 2020). "Who is Paul Mescal? The Normal People actor who plays Connell". Evening Standard. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
14. ^ Green, Alex (6 August 2020). "Paul Mescal: From TV debut to Rolling Stones music video in less than a year". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
15. ^ Sweeney, Tanya (15 December 2017). "'It was tough... but I've stepped into a time in Irish theatre that's really alive'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
16. ^ Cummins, Steve (17 November 2018). "Review: Asking For It at Abbey Theatre, Dublin". The Times. Retrieved 28 August 2020. Paul Mescal delivers a standout performance as Bryan, Emma's sympathetic brother.
17. ^ Crawley, Peter (4 August 2018). "It's a kind of magic: electric midsummer night's dreams in Kilkenny Castle". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
18. Baxter-Wright, Dusty (11 May 2020). "Normal People's Connell was once in a sausage advert". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
19. ^ Charleton, Fiona (9 February 2020). "Theatre review: The Lieutenant of Inishmore". The Times. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
20. Mangan, Lucy (26 April 2020). "Normal People review – Sally Rooney's love story is a small-screen triumph". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
21. ^ Goldsbrough, Susannah (22 April 2020). "Normal People, first-look review: a riveting romance for the millennial age". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2020. Normal People arrives as a boxset on BBC Three on April 26.
22. Holmes, Linda (29 April 2020). "Review: 'Normal People' Skillfully Adapts Sally Rooney's Novel". NPR. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
23. Machell, Ben (18 May 2020). "Paul Mescal: the heart-throb star of Sally Rooney's Normal People". The Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
24. Garner, Dwight; Poniewozik, James; Sehgal, Parul; Szalai, Jennifer (15 May 2020). "Bringing 'Normal People' to Sexy, Soundtracked Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
25. ^ Kanter, Jake (6 June 2021). "BAFTA TV Awards Winners: 'I May Destroy You' Triumphs; Paul Mescal Wins Best Actor; 'The Crown' Snubbed". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
26. Framke, Caroline (22 April 2020). "'Normal People' Review: Hulu's Sally Rooney Adaptation is Bruising". Variety. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
27. Paskin, Willa (24 April 2020). "Normal People, Hulu's swoony adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel, reviewed". Slate. Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
28. ^ Villarreal, Yvonne (28 July 2020). "Emmys 2020: Paul Mescal of 'Normal People' on his nomination". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
29. ^ Schneider, Michael (18 January 2021). "'Ozark,' 'The Crown' and Netflix Lead 26th Annual Critics' Choice Awards TV Nominations". Variety. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
30. Hodgkinson, Will (31 July 2020). "Dermot Kennedy and Paul Mescal review — an atmospheric and imaginative livestream show". The Times. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
31. ^ "Granard film to feature in Galway Film Fleadh". The Anglo-Celt. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
32. ^ Carr, Flora (4 August 2020). "The Deceived's creators: 'There was a buzz about Paul Mescal – but no one predicted this'". Radio Times. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
33. ^ Greene, Andy (6 August 2020). "Watch the New Rolling Stones Video 'Scarlet,' Starring Paul Mescal". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
34. Power, Ed (4 August 2020). "The Deceived review: Paul Mescal conjures his sleepy-eyed charm in this silly and likeable caper". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
35. Evans, Greg (7 October 2020). "Morgan Freeman, Laurie Metcalf, Ellen Burstyn, Laura Linney, Matthew Broderick Among All-Star Lineup For Virtual Broadway Play Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
36. ^ Savage, Mark (1 December 2020). "Paul Mescal stars in Phoebe Bridgers' music video for Savior Complex". BBC News. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
37. ^ Galuppo, Mia (28 August 2020). "'Normal People' Breakout Paul Mescal Joins Maggie Gyllenhaal Directorial Debut 'The Lost Daughter' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
38. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (11 November 2020). "'Normal People' Star Paul Mescal Joins Melissa Barrera in Benjamin Millepied's 'Carmen' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
39. ^ Kroll, Justin (11 May 2021). "Emily Watson And 'Normal People' Star Paul Mescal To Headline A24 Psychological Drama 'God's Creatures'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
40. Grater, Tom (2 March 2021). "Paul Mescal And Tom Burke Set For Irish Thriller 'Bring Them Down'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
41. Fleming, Mike Jr. (11 June 2021). "'Foe': Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, LaKeith Stanfield To Star In Sci-Fi Thriller". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
42. Kaufman, Amy (7 July 2020). "'Normal People' stars can't wait until they can go out for a beer and dance together". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
43. Carr, Flora (7 July 2020). "TV Choice Awards nominations revealed – Normal People leads the pack". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
44. Beresford, Trilby (30 June 2020). "'Schitt's Creek' Leads Dorian TV Award Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
45. ^ Montgomery, Daniel; Beachum, Chris; Dixon, Marcus James; Eng, Joyce; Laws, Zach; Sheehan, Paul (16 September 2020). "2020 Gold Derby TV Awards winners: 'Schitt's' sweeps, 'Succession' succeeds, Reese Witherspoon rules and much more". Gold Derby. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
46. "GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2020 winners: from Paul Mescal to Captain Sir Tom Moore". GQ. 26 November 2020. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
47. Robinson, Abby (28 December 2020). "The Digital Spy Reader Awards 2020 full results". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
48. Jackson, Angelique (12 February 2021). "Australian Academy Announces Film & TV Nominees for AACTA International Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
49. Ramachandran, Naman (17 February 2021). "'Normal People,' 'I May Destroy You,' 'Small Axe,' 'Quiz,' Lead U.K.'s BPG Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
50. "Nominations announced for the RTS Programme Awards 2021". Royal Television Society. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
51. Del Rosario, Alexandra (19 April 2021). "MTV Movie & TV Awards Nominations: 'Emily In Paris', 'WandaVision' & 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
52. Yossman, K.J. (4 July 2021). "'Normal People' Sweeps the Board at Irish Film and Television Awards, 'Wolfwalkers' Takes Best Film". Variety. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.

External links

• Paul Mescal at IMDb

• Living people
• 1996 births
• 21st-century Irish male actors
• Alumni of Trinity College Dublin
• Best Actor BAFTA Award (television) winners
• Gaelic football backs
• Irish male stage actors
• Irish male television actors
• Kildare Gaelic footballers
• Male actors from County Kildare
• People associated with Trinity College Dublin
• People from Maynooth