Paul Mescal isn’t sorry about keeping his loved ones close.
For the Normal People alum, playing William Shakespeare during a particularly difficult time in his life in Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet ultimately informed how he now views the world around him.
“If the film’s taught me anything, and it’s taught me many things, it’s that you can’t be a great version of yourself without the immense support from the people around you,” Paul shared in an exclusive E! News interview in November. “As a society, we’ve become individualized and need to carve out our own path. And actually, it’s a hell of a lot more enjoyable and more exciting to do that in contact with people with a real desire to love and be loved.”
It’s a message Chloé also shared at the 2026 Golden Globes Jan. 11 after winning Best Picture Drama, thanking Paul for reminding her of the importance of vulnerability.
While this lesson was certainly reiterated for Paul as he partook in filming the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel—which explores Shakespeare writing Hamlet amid grieving the death of his son Hamnet—alongside costars Joe Alwyn and Jessie Buckleyhe hasn’t strayed away from keeping his loved ones close, even in the public eye.
After all, the Oscar nominee was supported by girlfriend Gracie Abrams earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of History of Sound.
