Paul Mescal is ready for a break from the spotlight.
The Irish actor, 29, has starred in a slew of major releases over the last several years, including Aftersun, Gladiator II, The History of Sound and the upcoming Oscar-tipped Hamnet. After a strong run of roles, Mescal admitted in an interview with The Guardian published on Friday, January 2, that it might be time for fans to see less of him for a while.
“I’m five or six years into this now, and I feel very lucky,” said the actor, who first broke out in the 2020 BBC adaptation of Normal People. “But I’m also learning that I don’t think I can go on doing it as much.”
Mescal was then asked whether he planned on “rationing himself,” to which he responded, “I think so. I’m gonna have to start doing that. For sure” before adding, “Rationing doesn’t necessarily mean less.”
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“It means learning that films like The History of Sound take more out of the well,” the actor explained of the emotional toll his roles often take out of him. “You can’t keep going back and expect to consistently deliver something you’re proud of.”
Mescal went on, “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 [theater] for a couple of years. I also have different priorities in my personal life that I want to attend to.”
Mescal is currently promoting Hamnet, in which he plays William Shakespeare opposite Jessie Buckley as the writer’s wife, Agnes Hathaway. Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling book of the same name, the film follows a fictionalized version of Shakespeare and Hathaway in the aftermath of the death of their son, Hamnet, and the creation of Shakespeare’s famous play, Hamlet.
Both Mescal and Buckley are tipped for Oscar nominations this awards season, after which he hopes to step out of the spotlight until his next big project: Sam Mendes’ The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event in 2028.
“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,” he shared.
Mescal is set to play Paul McCartney in Mendes’ quartet of biopics, each one of which will focus on a different member of the iconic band. Joseph Quinn is set to play George Harrison, Barry Keoghan will portray Ringo Starr and Harris Dickinson has been cast as John Lennon.
The movies will reunite Mescal with his Foe costar Saoirse Ronan, who will play McCartney’s late wife Linda.
“She’s just one of my best friends and an unbelievable actress, so I can’t wait to get into those scenes with her, yeah, down the line,” Mescal exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2025.
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In September, Mescal opened up about meeting McCartney to prepare for the role.
“To spend any time — it’s a crazy sentence to say that I’ve spent time with that man, let alone play him,” he told IndieWire, also confirming that he will sing in the movie.
