Who is Paul Mescal? Kildare's Hollywood heartthrob from school days and GAA career

Hailing from Maynooth, Paul Mescal had a life like most ‘normal people’ before taking over Hollywood.

Expressing in a previous interview with The Irish Times, he “didn’t know many actors growing up”, however he wasn’t short of being surrounded by talent. 

The Mescal family have caught the eyes of many globally, not just for their piercing blue eyes but for the multitude of talent to exude from their veins. 

Sister Nell Mescal took a leap to follow her passion as a singer and is now living in London pursuing her dream. She has been picked up by fellow Irish artists including Dermot Kennedy who she supported during his tour last summer. 

Before breaking into Hollywood, Mescal was well-known for his sportsmanship. He was a member of the Maynooth GAA club and was a minor and under-21 Gaelic football player for Kildare. Due to injury, Mescal couldn’t continue to play while pursuing acting after breaking his nose and jaw.

Mescal, who attended Maynooth Post Primary School performed on stage for the first time at 16 in the musical The Phantom of the Opera. Soon after Mescal auditioned and gained admission to The Lir Academy at Trinity College Dublin. He graduated in 2017 to study acting and secured agents prior to his graduation.

Mescal’s big break after graduation was starring in his first television role in the drama series Normal People which is an adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel. Mescal played Connell Waldron and earned a  BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for his performance as well as a 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.

Mescal made his film debut with a supporting role in The Lost Daughter in 2021 and is more recently catching eyes for his role alongside Irish actor Andrew Scott in All of Us Strangers. For his role as Harry in the film, Mescal received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. 

Mescal is also being praised for his role as Junior starring alongside fellow Irish actor Saoirse Ronan in Foe. He is now set to star in Gladiator II, Ridley Scott's sequel next. 

Besides acting, Mescal also has been spotted to follow in his sisters footsteps a number of occasions as fans have been shocked he too can sing. The actor went viral while singing alongside Dermot Kennedy and he did not miss a note. 

Mescal, who has come a long way from the Denny advertisement in his early career, is now living in London and is rumoured to have a home in West Cork next to Saoirse Ronan. 

One thing fans can guarantee is that Mescal will continue to be on our screens as “God made him for us.”