With a growing acting credit, Paul Mescal represents a younger generation of Irish actors in Hollywood. Mescal, who turned 28 in 2024, received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023. The young Irish actor made his professional debut in 2017. After graduating from Ireland’s The Lir Academy at Trinity College Dublin, Paul Mescal began his career in theater.
Less than a decade later, he’s not only been nominated for an Oscar but has also been nominated at the BAFTAS and has an Emmy nomination. Mescal has starred in indie films for much of his screen career, working with directors in their directorial debuts. Fast-forward to 2024, Mescal leads the cast of Ridley Scott’s 24-year sequel, Gladiator II, as Lucius “Hanno” Verus. While Gladiator II is unarguably the biggest project of his career, here’s a look at every movie Paul Mescal has starred in.
The Lost Daughter
Paul Mescal made his film debut in the 2021 indie psychological drama The Lost Daughter. The movie was also Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feature directorial debut. In The Lost Daughter, Paul Mescal played Will, a charming and easygoing resort caretaker on the Greek Island where the story takes place. Although cast in a minor role, Mescal’s character interacts with Olivia Coleman’s Leda Caruso character and has an affair with Dakota Johnson’s Nina character. The Lost Daughter had a limited theatrical release but was critically acclaimed. The film was also nominated in three categories at the 94th Academy Awards.
God’s Creatures
Paul Mescal’s sophomore feature film was another indie psychological drama, God’s Creatures (2022). Set in Ireland, Mescal played Brian O’Hara, a young man who returns to his small Irish fishing village after several years away. While initially welcomed by the family, his return soon disrupts the lives of those around him, particularly his mother, Aileen O’Hara (Emily Watson).
Aileen becomes embroiled in a moral dilemma after Brian is accused of sexually assaulting Sarah Murphy (Aisling Franciosi). God’s Creatures explores themes of family loyalty, guilt, and the complexities of small-town dynamics. The movie received generally positive reviews, with Paul Mescal and Emily Watson’s performance receiving special praise.
Aftersun
Charlotte Wells’s 2022 indie film Aftersun was Paul Mescal’s international breakthrough role. His performance as Calum, the film’s protagonist, earned him an Oscar and British Academy Film Awards nomination. Although he lost to Brendan Fraser’s The Whale (2022) performance, Mescal’s performance was widely praised for its subtlety and emotional depth.
Calum, a 30-year-old loving dad, takes his 11-year-old daughter, Sophie (Frankie Corio), on a vacation to a Turkish resort. Calum, who’s separated from Sophie’s mom, does his best to give his daughter a memorable vacation. However, underneath his excitement, Calum suffers from anxiety and depression. Aftersun explores Calum and Sophie’s tender and complex relationship, as seen through Sophie’s memories as a child and her reflections as an adult.
Carmen
The 2022 Carmen is Paul Mescal’s first musical film. The film was directed by Benjamin Millepied, also in his feature directorial debut. In Carmen, Paul Mescal played Aidan, a U.S. Marine grappling with trauma and disillusionment. Aidan crosses paths with Carmen (Melissa Barrera), a fiercely independent woman fleeing from her hometown in Mexico.
Together, they journey to Los Angeles while evading the authorities. The Benjamin Millepied-directed musical drama is considered a modern reimagining of French composer Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera of the same name. Carmen premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, receiving above-average critical reviews.
All of Us Strangers
The Andrew Haigh-directed British romantic fantasy All of Us Strangers (2023) is the second feature film adaptation of Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel Strangers. Cast as Harry, Paul Mescal plays a supporting role in the film’s four-person cast. Mescal is co-starred alongside Andrew Scott, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy. Mescal’s character is introduced as Adam’s (Andrew Scott) neighbor.
After meeting by chance in the building’s elevator, they form a connection that turns romantic. As their relationship depends, Adam revisits his childhood home and experiences an emotional reunion with his deceased parents. All of Us Strangers explores themes of grief, love, and human connection. Its plot twist at the end makes the storyline more captivating. The movie was deemed a critical masterpiece.
Foe
Paul Mescal is cast as Junior in Garth David’s 2023 sci-fi psychological thriller Foe. The movie also had a small cast, with Mescal co-starring alongside Saoirse Ronan, Aaron Pierre, and Jane Harber. Based on Canadian writer Iain Reid’s 2018 novel, Foe’s story is set in a near-future dystopia in 2065, where Earth’s environment is deteriorating. Mescal’s Junior lives solitary with his wife Hen (Saoirse Ronan) on their remote farm.
Their lives are disrupted when a stranger arrives with a proposal that puts their relationship to the test. Junior is offered an opportunity to leave Earth for a space mission. However, the government plans to replace him with a humanoid replica to keep his wife company. Despite the critical acknowledgment of Mescal and Ronan’s performance, Foe is Mescal’s least-rated film. Besides these Paul Mescal’s movie performances, here’s everything to know about Mescal’s personal and professional life.
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