Paul Mescal has opened up about his BAFTA win following an emotionally charged acceptance speech, during which he couldn’t help but tear up.
The actor was a breakout star from BBC Three’s romantic drama Normal People, which served as his first major screen role, winning hearts around the world for his sensitive portrayal of uni student Connell Waldron.
Mescal bagged the prize for Leading Actor at the Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards 2021, giving a humble and endearing speech, with host Richard Ayoade jokingly calling him a “b*****d” as he left the stage.
At a press conference held after the ceremony, Mescal reflected on his big win: “I don’t consider myself a crier – I think it’s just overwhelming. I wasn’t expecting it to happen.”
The actor went on to reveal that he was “panicking about leaving people out of the speech” and that he intends to call those he forgot to mention to “apologise profusely”.
Normal People transformed the formerly unknown Mescal into a household name, with demand for gold neck chains soaring in 2020 due to his character’s signature accessory.
“It’s a role that totally changed my life,” he continued. “It has introduced me to my best friend in Daisy [Edgar-Jones, co-star] and Lenny [Abrahamson, director] and people who I am obsessed with, and Connell himself is somebody who is… he’s hugely important to me.”
The romantic drama, which is based on a bestselling novel by author Sally Rooney, was one of the defining shows of the UK’s first coronavirus lockdown, offering viewers some much-needed escapism.
“It’s a show that focuses on the normal human in society and treats their joys and traumas and tribulations with utter respect,” said Mescal of the show’s popularity. “It’s quite a simple premise and trusts an audience to be engaged and challenged by it.”
Despite the runaway success of Normal People, it’s uncertain whether the show could return for a second season after delivering a complete adaptation of Rooney’s original story.
Mescal is among the many fans who would “love” to see more, but admitted that further episodes are not currently in development.
He added: “I would love to do Normal People season two. I would work with Daisy again in a heartbeat. At the moment, there’s literally nothing – there’s nothing at all in the pipeline.”
Fans should watch out for Conversations with Friends, another Sally Rooney adaptation from BBC Three and Lenny Abrahamson, which is scheduled for release in 2022.
Normal People is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide.
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