Acclaimed Irish actor Paul Mescal has announced a significant shift in his career, vowing to start 'rationing' his future film and television roles. The 29-year-old star, who shot to fame in 2020's Normal People, says he is facing 'different priorities' in his personal life and wants to protect his love for the craft.
A Deliberate Slowdown After a Meteoric Rise
Since his breakout role as Connell Waldron, Mescal's career has been on a steep upward trajectory. He has starred in major projects like Gladiator II and All of Us Strangers, hosted Saturday Night Live, and is set to play Sir Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes's upcoming Beatles biopic. Further roles in the dramas Hamnet and The History of Sound are also in the pipeline.
However, in a candid new interview with The Guardian, Mescal admitted he feels the need to pull back. "I think so, I'm gonna have to start doing that, for sure," he said when asked if he was rationing his work. He clarified that rationing doesn't necessarily mean doing less, but being more selective to ensure he can deliver performances he is proud of.
Theatre, Family, and Protecting a Passion
Mescal, who hails from Maynooth, County Kildare, has always stated that his first love is the theatre. He won an Olivier Award in 2023 for A Streetcar Named Desire and is scheduled to make his National Theatre debut in 2027. He suggested a future period dedicated solely to stage work, saying, "I might have a time when I'm only doing theatre for a couple of years."
His personal goals are also a driving factor. The actor, currently dating singer Gracie Abrams, has previously expressed a strong desire to start a family. "I would love to have kids," he stated, emphasising this as one of the new priorities he wishes to attend to. His central fear is burning out, adding, "I don't want to resent the thing I love."
Seeking a Break and Future Projects
Following the promotion of his latest film, Hamnet, where he plays William Shakespeare, Mescal hopes to step out of the spotlight. He quipped, "I hope nobody gets to see me until 2028 when I'm doing the Beatles."
Despite the planned slowdown, his passion for intimate filmmaking remains. He cited The History of Sound, a period drama where he stars alongside Josh O'Connor, as a project that felt like "home" and left him feeling more comfortable than on the vast set of Gladiator II. "I want to make more films like that," he explained, signalling the creative direction he hopes to pursue as he carefully manages his prolific career.
