Paul Mescal has opened up about the “coping mechanisms” he was forced to develop after his Normal People fame.
The 27-year-old who played Connell Waldron in the BBC series bagged Emmy and BAFTA nominations for his performance.
The actor appeared as a guest on documentarian Louis Theroux’s podcast, which was released today.
Speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast Paul said: “To go from totally anonymous to not anonymous is kind of the biggest jump.”
“You develop your own set of rules, but you develop a kind of coping mechanism from that junction and the rest is hopefully gonna stay nice and level.”
Paul also revealed that his new life in the public eye caused him to initially shut off from the world.
Paul revealed how he copes with fame and said: “The body and mind is naturally going to protect itself.”
However, he explained that this comes with the risk of: “shutting [yourself] off from the rest of the world.”
The 27-year-old’s career has gone from strength to strength since the show but he recently admitted if he gets any more “famous” he will be forced to “move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.”
The Oscar-nominated actor is set to star in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel this year but hopes the aftermath of the role won’t be life-changing.
Paul explained why to the Sunday Independent: “I don’t know what the difference will be. Maybe that’s naïve? Is it just that more people will stop you in the street?”
“I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true. I’ll have an answer next year, but if it impacts my life in that way, I’ll be in a bad spot.”
Paul continued that the heightened level of fame would inevitably turn him into a “boring person” and added that he would never want to “close himself off” from getting drunk at a party or meeting someone at a bar.
He added: “It would be dangerous to start wrapping yourself in cotton wool and not be out in the world, through fear.”
However, the Maynooth man is rumoured to play James Bond in the next movie in the spy franchise which will star two 007 agents- one older and one younger.
