The young Irish actor came to prominence this year as he portrayed the iconic character of Connell Waldron in the BBC’s adaptation of Normal People. The show enthralled an audience from all over the world, quickly garnering quite a fanbase.
Paul’s gripping performance earned him his first Emmy nomination, as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. Last night he spoke to Vogue all about his pre-emmys routine and how he spent his first awards night.
“Never thought I’d be getting ready for the Emmys with a face mask on in my kitchen,” Mescal remarked as he sat in the kitchen of his Hackney home, while Joe Mills, “the best barber in town,” worked his magic on Paul's barnet.
While the dress code might have stated to ‘come as you please’, leaving it up for personal interpretation, Paul decided to jazz it up a bit. Even though the Irish actor’s first experience of Hollywood glitz and glamour may be through the small screen, that doesn’t mean he’s not going to make the absolute most out of it.
Paul wore a “super sharp” Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2020 suit with a crisp white shirt and loafers. “This feels totally surreal. Will anyone see my shoes?” the Emmy nominee wondered as he got ready. The answer being no, they sadly wouldn’t.
Paul was just about ready to sit down and enjoy the show when he decided to step outside onto his rooftop terrace for a much-needed breath of fresh air, and to take “a moment of calm before we begin.”
When Paul was finally able to sit down in front of his laptop at 1am, to enjoy the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards live, he of course couldn’t go through it without a celebratory beverage in hand. “Going back to my roots, having some Irish whisky to celebrate my nomination,” the Irish actor said before the show began.
Unfortunately though, the Normal People star missed out, losing his category to none other than the talented Mark Ruffalo, who played two characters, Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in I Know This Much Is True.
While we’re sure Paul was gutted, he made sure to congratulate his fellow nominee. “Congratulations to the legend that is @markruffalo,” Mescal wrote on Instagram, followed by, “Thank you to @televisionacad for the nomination and to everyone who has supported our show.”
Congrats on the nomination Paul — better luck next time.
