Spring 2020 belonged to Paul Mescal and his silver chain when his role as Connell in Normal People brought the Irish actor Bieber-levels of hysteria.
Given the undoubtable upwards trajectory of his career, our judges voted for him to sit on 2020's ELLE List, in association with Magnum - a celebration of this year's new leaders and shakers reframing the worlds of fashion, beauty, politics, culture and beyond.
We interviewed, photographed and filmed Mescal for the List. You can watch the video above, but here's what else he had to say...
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'I almost joined the army at 16. But my love for Gaelic football and acting kept me in Ireland.
In Year 11, I played the lead in The Phantom Of The Opera and fell for being onstage. I’d never have imagined that Andrew Lloyd Webber would one day ask me to do a singalong, as he did this summer.
I felt objectified after Normal People. It’s to be expected, given the intimacy of my scenes, but it doesn’t make it easier. I daren’t read some of the intense DMs I receive. But it’s not enough to put me off the industry.
People still recognise me from a sausage advert. It was for Irish sausage brand Denny last year (my first paid acting job), and people still ask me about it. It keeps me grounded.
The power of Connell’s chain was completely unexpected. And a bit frightening! (@connellschain has 187,000 Instagram followers.) It became this totemic being that lived outside the show.
When Hugh Jackman emailed me, I lost my mind. He told me he was a massive fan of the show. Messages from actors I admire, such as Josh O’Connor, have shown me that the industry is way nicer than I’d thought.
I would consider doing another musical. I find solace in singing. I don’t have one dream role in mind; it’s all about a finding complex character and brilliant script.'
The October issue of ELLE, with the complete ELLE list, as well as our profile with cover star Alicia Vikander, hits newsstands on Sept 3.
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