Fresh off of his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor in “Aftersun,” Paul Mescal has carved out a beloved space in Hollywood and pop culture with his emotional and heartfelt performances. Starting with his breakout role in “Normal People,” Mescal has stunned audiences in his subsequent projects, from “The Lost Daughter” to “God’s Creatures,” which all showcase Mescal’s signature knack for brilliantly capturing his characters’ vulnerabilities despite their hard exterior. If you’re looking to kickstart your Paul Mescal obsession, check out his top projects and how to watch them below.
“Aftersun” (2022)
Mescal assumes a new type of touching relationship as a young, idealistic father in this Oscar-nominated performance. Set in the hazy summer of ‘99, “Aftersun” follows Calum (Mescal) as he takes his daughter, Sophie (Frankie Corio), to a Turkish resort during a rare week of closeness before the father and daughter part ways and Sophie returns to live full-time with her mother, with whom Calum maintains a familial yet platonic relationship. Though little about Calum’s life outside the vacation is known, the tai chi-practicing father clearly struggles with a darkness unknown to 11-year-old Sophie. While Sophie, who is imminently entering adolescence, deals with her own growing pains, it’s apparent the carefree closeness the duo experiences during this week might be the easiest their relationship will ever be.
You can stream “Aftersun” on Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu and the Google Play store.
“God’s Creatures” (2022)
In another A24 project, Mescal plunges into the emotional depths related to issues of sexual assault and cultural complicity that plague an Irish fishing village. Mescal plays Brian, a lost young man who comes home to his family for a fresh start after living in Australia for several years. While his mother, Aileen (Emily Watson), is elated by his return and quickly compromises her morals ever so slightly to ensure a smooth transition for Brian, the tides change too rapidly, however, when Aileen fabricates an alibi to police officers when Brian is accused of a violent crime. Despite Brian’s positioning on the wrong side of this act, Mescal’s portrayal of an unaffected son showcases his adept wide range.
“God’s Creatures” is available to stream on Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu and the Google Play store.
“The Lost Daughter” (2021)
Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter” mirrors the interrogation of parenthood and vacation haze found in “Aftersun” with a sinister twist. The psychological thriller centers on professor Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman) who, while on holiday to Greece, develops a strange fixation on young mother Nina (Dakota Johnson). After meeting Nina during a momentary concern that her three-year-old daughter went missing while on the beach, Leda’s obsession with Nina prompts her own impromptu realizations of her early years as a mother. Though Mescal’s role as Will, a handsome employee who works at the beach bar who gets entangled in the women’s strange relationship, a laughter-fill tipsy dinner between Will and Leda makes for an endearing performance.
You can stream “The Lost Daughter” on Netflix.
“Normal People” (2020)
In Mescal’s breakout role, Mescal stars as Connell, a popular, athletic student living in a small town in Ireland who develops an unmatched and almost immediate connection with Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones), whose pride and overconfidence doesn’t make her many allies in high school. Based on the novel of the same title by Sally Rooney, the drama series follows Marianne and Connell over the course of a sometimes tumultuous, sometimes simple relationship as the pair go back and forth between lovers and friends — always hinging on what was left unsaid. As Marianne and Connell face growing pains as they enter adulthood and shift their relationships and passions, Mescal’s honest portrayal of a young man growing into himself shines.
“Normal People” is available to stream on Hulu.
Bonus: Phoebe Bridgers’ “Savior Complex” music video
During his relationship with singer Phoebe Bridgers, Mescal starred in her “Savior Complex” music video as a distraught and wounded man gathering his thoughts on the beach before he finds an unlikely companion in a small dog.
You can watch the video here.
