In the last year or two, Paul Mescal has rocketed to become one of the most exciting screen actors around. From his arrival in Normal People, to his brief turn in The Lost Daughter, and onto his astonishing Oscar-nominated role in Aftersun, he’s made a major mark – and next up, he’ll be seen in an altogether darker capacity in new drama God’s Creatures, alongside Emily Watson.
The film, directed by Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer, might be set in a small Irish fishing village, but – as Holmer tells Empire – tonally it’s a “mythic Greek tragedy”, in which Mescal’s Brian returns home from time spent in Australia and becomes the leading suspect in a sexual-assault case. “He was very willing to go to these dark places in order to explore the psychology of the character,” Holmer says in the new issue – and for Mescal, who’s able to dive deep into his characters, there was much to explore. “We built this backstory for Brian that involved violence that he’s experienced in and outside of the home,” she says. The result is a particularly physical performance from Mescal, channelling Brian’s experiences into agitated actions. “It’s like a tremor or a tension that he’s holding in his body that could be released at any moment.”
With a starring role opposite Saoirse Ronan in sci-fi thriller Foe, a place in the cast of Andrew Haigh’s new film Strangers, and a long-term commitment to Richard Linklater’s Merrily We Roll Along adaptation (set to shoot or the next 20 years or so), not to mention Ridley Scott's Gladiator sequel. Mescal’s rise looks set to continue. First, there’s the small matter of this year’s Oscars… Stay tuned.
Read Empire’s full God’s Creatures story in The Mandalorian Season 3 issue – on sale Thursday 16 February. Become an Empire member here to access the issue in full on launch day, or pre-order online here. God’s Creatures comes to Irish cinemas from 24 March, and UK cinemas from 31 March.