By Emma Chance | Celebrity | January 18, 2024 |
By Emma Chance | Celebrity | January 18, 2024 |
Oscar-nominated actor Paul Mescal—who shot to stardom initially with Normal People and more recently with All of Us Strangers—hopes his latest film, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2, won’t change much for him in the way of fame.
“I don’t know what the difference will be,” he said. Oh, Paul.
“Maybe that’s naive?” he continued (yes, yes it is, sweetie). “Is it just that more people will stop you in the street?” he asked, and I’m sure that’s when the interviewer saw the light of innocence leave his eyes.
“I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true. I’ll have an answer next year, but if [the film] impacts my life in that way, I’ll be in a bad spot. I’d have to move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.” I’d start looking for scripts now, babe!
He said he takes acting “very seriously” and is disheartened by the role social media seems to play in casting lately. “What are we doing this for?” he asked. “It scares me greatly. Acting should never be reduced to numbers of Instagram followers.” That won’t be a problem for him since he’s not on social media. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t know he’s already famous?
“Over the last few years people have been talking about films and TV shows as content. That’s a filthy word. It’s not ‘content,’ it’s fucking work. I’m not being snobby, but there are two concurrent industries. One that works with a lack of care and artistic integrity. Go nuts, make stuff with Instagram followers as a factor, whatever…But the other is what’s always been there, the craft of filmmaking, directing, lighting and production design. That keeps artists alive. And audiences want to be challenged.”
Is it getting hot in here?
I’ve said it once I’ll say it a thousand times: Leave Paul Mescal alone!
P.S. In case you were wondering, Daisy Edgar-Jones has the Normal People chain.