‘Normal People’ Star Paul Mescal Talks About the Pressure of Playing Connell
Now more than ever is the perfect time for binge-watching must-see television series. Luckily, the public has a ton of options when it comes to selecting a streaming platform.
Hulu just released a new show called Normal People that already seems to be a hit amongst viewers everywhere. The new show illustrates the complexity and beauty that comes with relationship and intimacy.
Normal People illustrates the close bond between the main characters and how challenging and rewarding the dynamic can be. Fans cannot get enough of the new Hulu series, and many of them want to know more about the cast.
Find out who Paul Mescal is and what he has to say about working on the set of Normal People.
Who is Paul Mescal?
Hulu’s new show Normal People is responsible for putting Mescal on the map, but many people are wondering where the actor’s journey first began.
In February of 1996 Mescal was born in Maynooth, County Kildare. This is where the rising actor spent his childhood. Before he got involved in acting he was interested in soccer and had a pretty good knack for the sport.
Ultimately, Mescal made the decision to study acting at Trinity College in Dublin. Mescal’s Irish roots and background made him an even better fit for the role he took on in Normal People. Take a closer look at the character that Mescal plays.
What character does Paul Mescal play on ‘Normal People’?
Mescal’s acting career seems to be on a good trajectory based on his performance in Normal People. Mescal was cast to play the part of Connell in the drama-based show.
Though Connell’s character is extremely handsome, the character is known for more than his good looks. Connell’s tender and understanding nature is a huge part of what ties him to the characters and themes of Hulu‘s Normal People.
However, for anyone who has watched the series, Connell also has a reputation to be a bit of a jokester. Mescal’s character was complex, to say the least. Find out what Mescal shared about his experiences playing Connell on Normal People.
What has Paul Mescal shared about his role in ‘Normal People’?
Fan and viewers of Normal People have been very grateful for the cast’s willingness to open up about what it was like to work on set. Actors and actresses do a ton of work to authentically bring their characters to life. Mescal recently shared that he faced some unexpected challenges while embracing the identity of Connell.
Not everyone is aware of the origin of how Normal People came to be. Some people may be surprised to learn that the television show is actually an adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel.
As a result, Mescal definitely felt some added pressure about honoring the character from. When trying to explain what he meant by pressure the star told GQ: “Absolutely, because anybody who reads the book has a very clear idea [of who Connell is]. And normally any person that I ask, they always reference themselves to the characters. And I am going to be the visual representation of this imagined character for a lot of people. So there definitely is a pressure with that. I didn’t feel that so much when we were filming. I feel it now in the lead up in the final few days before it airs.”
Despite the pressure and stress, Mescal admitted to feeling, he still managed to blow away viewers with the premiere of Normal People. Many people speculate that this is just the beginning of a very long and lengthy acting career for Mescal.
