Paul Mescal admits of hectic acting schedule: “I don’t think I can go on doing it as much”
Paul Mescal has suggested that he plans to slow down his acting schedule, admitting, “I don’t think I can go on doing it as much.”
Since establishing himself in 2020 as the co-star of Normal People alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, Mescal has gone on to star in Gladiator 2, as well as earning acclaim for his performances in Hamnet, The History of Sound, and Aftersun.
Additionally, the Irish actor will play Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ upcoming set of biopics on The Beatles, which is set to span four movies and arrive in cinemas in 2028.
Now, in a new interview with The Guardian alongside his The History of Sound co-star Josh O’Connor, Mescal reflected, “I’m five or six years into this now, and I feel very lucky. But I’m also learning that I don’t think I can go on doing it as much.”
When asked if this means rationing the number of roles he takes on, Mescal said, “I think so. I’m gonna have to start doing that. For sure.”
“Rationing doesn’t necessarily mean less,” he then claimed, before adding, “It means learning that films like The History of Sound take more out of the well. You can’t keep going back and expect to consistently deliver something you’re proud of.”
Mescal elaborated, “What that rationing looks like, I don’t know. I miss being on stage, so I might have a time when I’m only doing theatre for a couple of years. I also have different priorities in my personal life that I want to attend to.”
He then outlined his plans to stay away from the limelight once The History of Sound arrives in UK cinemas later this month on January 23rd, adding, “Once I’ve finished promoting that, I hope nobody gets to see me until 2028 when I’m doing the Beatles. People will get a break from me and I’ll get a break from them.”
In The Beatles biopics, Mescal will star alongside Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. Additionally, Saoirse Ronan has been cast as Linda McCartney, Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd, Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey and Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono.
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