IRISHFILMTV.COM

Paul Mescal strolls through London’s Highbury Fields with the easy confidence of someone who has found his rhythm in an industry notorious for grinding down its brightest stars. Sunglasses perched casually on his face, his signature mullet catching the afternoon light, he moves with an unhurried spring in his step that speaks to a man genuinely at peace with his meteoric rise. The 28-year-old Irish actor, fresh from his starring role in HAMNET, has just wrapped a candid conversation with Rolling Stone that reveals as much about his grounded perspective as it does about his soaring career trajectory.

The meeting spot he chose—a pub called the Famous Cock—elicits a characteristic laugh from Mescal. “Ha! It’s pretty identifiable, isn’t it?” The choice feels emblematic of an actor who refuses to take himself too seriously despite now being considered one of Hollywood’s most promising talents. As he navigates the park paths, nodding respectfully to elderly gentlemen and playfully weaving around strollers, there’s something remarkably unaffected about his presence. This is a movie star who still finds joy in the simple act of walking through a neighborhood he’s grown to love.

Since breaking through with his raw, emotionally devastating performance in NORMAL PEOPLE, Mescal has built a career defined by both artistic integrity and surprising versatility. His recent turn in HAMNET showcased his ability to inhabit complex historical narratives, while earlier roles in films like AFTERSUN proved his capacity for intimate, contemporary storytelling. Each project seems carefully chosen, reflecting an actor more interested in depth than breadth, substance over spectacle.

But it’s his upcoming challenge that truly captures the scope of his ambition. Mescal is currently deep in rehearsals to portray Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ ambitious quartet of Beatles biopics, slated for release in 2028. The role represents not just a career pinnacle but a chance to embody one of his genuine heroes. “I’ve met him a couple of times. I adore him. I think he changed the world,” Mescal says of McCartney with an enthusiasm that transcends professional obligation.

The preparation for such an iconic role has given Mescal something he didn’t expect to appreciate: structure. “It’s a version of a weird 9-to-5, and I thought I would hate that and I actually am loving that. I do like structure a lot. I like a plan. I like rehearsals.” For an actor who admits that “everybody—everybody?—wants to be in a musical,” the McCartney project represents the perfect convergence of his passions for music, performance, and storytelling.

Mescal’s love affair with music runs deep, extending far beyond professional requirements. He speaks with genuine reverence about “music with a context,” Irish folk traditions, and the Beatles’ transformative impact on popular culture. This isn’t the casual name-dropping of a celebrity trying to appear cultured—it’s the sincere appreciation of someone who understands music as both art form and cultural force.