Paul Mescal has suggested he plans to step back from the spotlight until 2028, when he will appear in Sam Mendes' upcoming Beatles biopics. The Irish actor, 29, told The Guardian that after five or six years of intense work, he feels the need to 'ration' his projects to avoid burnout.
Mescal rose to fame with his Oscar-nominated role in 'Aftersun' (2022) and has since starred in 'Gladiator II', 'The History of Sound', and 'Hamnet'. He is set to play Paul McCartney in four interconnected Beatles films, alongside Harris Dickinson, Joseph Quinn and Barry Keoghan as the other band members.
'I'm five or six years into this now, and I feel very lucky. But I'm also learning that I don't think I can go on doing it as much,' Mescal said. He explained that 'rationing doesn't necessarily mean less' but acknowledged that certain films, like 'The History of Sound', take more out of him emotionally.
The actor admitted he fears losing momentum but sees no alternative. 'That's the great fear. But what's the alternative? I don't want to resent the thing I love,' he said. Mescal also expressed a desire to return to theatre and attend to personal priorities.
Aside from the Beatles projects and intermittent filming of Richard Linklater's 'Merrily We Roll Along' (shot over 20 years), Mescal has no other commitments. He is currently promoting 'Hamnet', which has generated Oscar buzz. 'Once I've finished promoting that, I hope nobody gets to see me until 2028 when I'm doing the Beatles,' he said.
