Paul Mescal is an Irish actor born on February 2, 1996, in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. He studied acting at The Lir Academy in Dublin and began his career with performances in various Dublin theatres. Mescal gained international recognition for his leading role as Connell Waldron in the 2020 miniseries Normal People, earning a BAFTA TV Award and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
He has since built a diverse filmography, including roles in The Lost Daughter (2021) and God’s Creatures (2022). His portrayal of a troubled father in Aftersun (2022) and a mysterious neighbor in All of Us Strangers (2023) garnered critical acclaim, with nominations for BAFTA Film Awards and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Aftersun.
In 2022, Mescal received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance as Stanley Kowalski in a revival of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. This production began at the Almeida Theatre and later moved to London’s West End.
Expanding his repertoire, Mescal joined the cast of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, released on November 22, 2024, portraying Lucius, the son of Maximus. The film also features actors like Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington.
Currently, Mescal is starring in a revival of A Streetcar Named Desire at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater in New York. Directed by Rebecca Frecknall, the production has received positive reviews, particularly for Mescal’s compelling portrayal of Stanley Kowalski.
For a lighthearted glimpse into Mescal’s personality, here’s a video where he plays “Irish or Not Irish”: