Irish actor Paul Mescal won the Best Actor award at the Olivier Awards on Sunday night for his performance in A Streetcar Named Desire. The 27-year-old, best known for playing Connell in the BBC adaptation of Normal People, gave an emotional acceptance speech at the ceremony.
Mescal thanked his training institution and director Rebecca Frecknall, before dedicating the end of his speech to his mother, Dearbhla. “Mum, I hope you get better soon,” he said, visibly overwhelmed.
His mother recently underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer. The news was first shared by Mescal’s sister, Nell, in a tweet earlier this year. “My mum got a haircut today in prep for her chemotherapy and then Paul got nominated for an Oscar. Life is so crazy,” she wrote in January.
In an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme in February, Mescal spoke about the impact of his mother’s diagnosis on his family. He described his Oscar nomination as “all a bit overwhelming” and said the recognition provided “a very welcome respite” from difficult circumstances at home.
Mescal attended the Oscars in Los Angeles last month with his mother, beaming alongside her at the Dolby Theatre. The actor’s Olivier win adds to a remarkable year that also saw him nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Aftersun.
