Paul Mescal Comment Sparks Mockery

Paul Mescal has been mocked on social media over a newspaper article in which he described himself as "not just the token Irish hunk."

The actor, who shot to fame in the racy miniseries Normal People in 2020, sat down for an interview with U.K. newspaper The Sunday Times. The article, published earlier this month, went over the layered roles Mescal has had since Normal People, including his Oscar-nominated turn in the movie Aftersun.

Commenting on his eclectic mix of roles, including a stint on stage, Mescal told the publication: "Hopefully, people now actually say, 'He's not here to just be the token Irish hunk.'

"If you want a progressive male, sad character, I'm your guy!" Mescal went on to joke, as he said that a number of his interviewers have noted in the past that he is "always so sad in things."

Two weeks after the interview was published, it has garnered a wave of attention among social media users, who have questioned the headline, which reads: "Paul Mescal: I'm Not Just the Irish Hunk."

"Seriously? What did he have for breakfast? A big bowl of delusions," wrote one detractor on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.

"Hunk?" one X user asked, while another commented that Mescal was "just another average" Irishman. "Perfectly fine, but hunk no," they added.

"Sorry, but if I think 'Irish hunk' he's definitely NOT who springs to mind," another quipped.

"I didn't know there was such a thing as the token Irish hunk," said another. "And I say that as an Irish person. Celebrities Celebritying."

While the headline was met with a wave of mockery, one fan spoke out in his defense, writing: "All the people questioning his 'hunk' status on here are over the age of 40 or normies/squares I can see so this is great to read."

Newsweek has contacted a representative of Mescal via email for comment.

Elsewhere in his interview, Mescal spoke about the importance of his roles sparking discussion, particularly regarding men and masculinity.

"We are still navigating, as men, how to be vulnerable," said Mescal, who stars in All of Us Strangers. "Time and time again, men are told vulnerability is weakness and not what society requires of them, so it's difficult to reach out for help."

While a faction of social media naysayers this week questioned Mescal's hunk status, there was a lot less doubt about it when Normal People was released.

The Irish series, starring Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Connell and Marianne, respectively, captured hearts when it was released in April 2020, with the stars' chemistry propelling the somewhat small scale show to global recognition. The now-famous sex scenes even sparked outrage in Ireland.

The BBC adaptation of the Sally Rooney novel beat romantic classic Ghost and famously steamy films Call Me By Your Name and 50 Shades of Grey when it came to the hottest sex scene, according to a 2021 study on arousal.

Fandomspot conducted a study of more than 100 participants in which it monitored their heart rates while they watched sexy moments on screen.

A wide range of movies and TV shows across all genres were studied to see which titles got hearts racing the most.

The final sex scene in Normal People took first place in the list, raising heart rates 38 percent on average. The famous pottery scene in classic movie Ghost and the bed-creaking scene in Netflix's Jessica Jones took second and third place, respectively.