Irish actor Paul Mescal has expressed his reservations about becoming more famous than he already is. Known for his roles in Aftersun, Normal People, Foe, and All Of Us Strangers, Mescal is set to star in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 alongside Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Connie Nielsen. While Gladiator 2 can be considered the most mainstream project Mescal has been a part of, he is unsure about the fame it will bring him.
Mescal hopes that the movie does not put him in a “bad spot.” In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mescal shared that although he isn’t sure what differences will be introduced into his life, he hopes that more people recognising him on the street isn’t the extent of it. He argued that if this is the case, he’ll become depressed and “have to move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.”
In the same interview, Mescal talked about playing a gay character as a straight man. He believes that straight actors should be able to play queer roles, depending on who is telling the story. He argued that past queer performances in cinema have been offensive because of the carelessness of the filmmakers and actors. Mescal believes that his upcoming project, All Of Us Strangers, with Andrew Scott, isn’t offensive and does not belong in that conversation.
Despite acting in a range of successful projects, Paul Mescal continues to navigate his newfound fame. With one eye on success and the other on staying grounded, the Irish actor will have to see how his latest project shapes the future direction of his career
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