Once again, Paul Mescal is getting candid about the downsides of life in the spotlight.
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images
In the years since he shot to global fame in Normal People, fascination surrounding Paul’s private life has only gotten more intense — particularly with regard to his romantic relationships.
Jemal Countess / WireImage
The Oscar-nominated actor was first linked to Phoebe Bridgers in 2020 after the pair shared a sweet interaction on social media. By late 2021, they’d confirmed their relationship with a red carpet debut.
Taylor Hill / Getty Images
Advertisement
Even though they kept their romance fairly private, Paul and Phoebe quickly became a beloved pairing — which was why their eventual split caused such a stir among fans.
Taylor Hill / WireImage
For context, in November 2022 it seemed that the couple were going strong as the Guardian bolstered speculation that they were engaged. However, just a month later, it looked as if they’d split after rumors emerged that Phoebe was dating Bo Burnham.
Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images
For a number of months, it wasn’t entirely clear what was happening between Phoebe and Paul, and many fans felt they were owed answers from the pair.
Taylor Hill / Getty Images
Advertisement
As speculation ran wild online, Paul eventually spoke out to make it clear that he wouldn’t be commenting on his love life going forward.
Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images for Vanity Fair
“I definitely feel the temptation to say the status of my whatever — that will always be there,” he told Vanity Fair in February. “But the temptation still exists to be like, ‘Shut the fuck up. This is my life. This is what's going on’ or ‘This is what's not going on.’”
Karwai Tang / WireImage
He continued: “But moving forward as much as I can, that's going to be my life that is private. That's a difficult thing to achieve. But giving strangers an answer about my life doesn't actually help me. It's like a quick boost of serotonin, being like, ‘I've said what I need to say.’ And then it's just Twitter fodder.”
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images
Advertisement
Well, fast-forward to today, and Paul is continuing to reflect on the intense public scrutiny that comes with his celebrity status.
Tristan Fewings / Getty Images for BAFTA
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar for their Icons Issue, Paul said that global fanfare is something he’s come to accept about his acting career, but he admitted that it’s not a part of the job that he particularly loves.
Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for BAFTA
“If I’m going to make TV shows like Normal People, there’s going to be an appetite from the world,” he told the outlet, adding that “80% of that is palatable. And then 20% of it is devastating.”
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images
Advertisement
Paul didn’t specifically refer to his breakup with Phoebe, although he did discuss his frustrations with fans’ sense of “entitlement” to details about his private life.
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images
“The stuff that hurts is the personal stuff,” he said. “It’s nobody else’s business and should never be commented on because it’s indecent. And it’s unkind.”
Rich Fury / Getty Images for LACMA
He continued, “Honest answer, it makes me angry. … It’s the entitlement to the information that people expect that just drives me fucking mad.”
Gareth Cattermole / Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images
Advertisement
{{ blurb }}
{{/blurb}} {{#picture_url}}