As co-stars, actors Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott have a lot of respect for each other’s careers – and finds part of it very sexy.
Scott and Mescal star in All of Us Strangers, a film about a man who meets a potential new romance before also meeting the ghosts of his parents who died 30 years ago.
Speaking to Screentime with John Fardy, Scott said it was “that wonderful premise” that attracted him to the role and engages audiences.
“What would you say to your parents if you could really talk to them as adults, as complete contemporaries?” he said.
“Jamie Bell and Clare Foy play my parents and they’re actually younger than me, which is strange.
“But what’s really interesting in playing that dynamic is you understand it’s not about age – you never really escape your parents as adults, they stay at certain ages.”
Mescal in a 'vaguer' character
Mescal plays Scott’s love interest, who we meet “fully pissed” before we try to find out more about his mysterious character.
The Kildare actor said he enjoys playing a “vaguer” character.
“I love when the director or script requires you to fill in the gaps because then it feels like you have so many secrets with yourself,” he said.
“When you play a supporting role and support Andrew’s journey, you have so many secrets for yourself.”
'I was so depressed leaving you' 😭
Andrew Scott and 'Paulie' Mescal on their blossoming bromance ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cMwZ5PcqZ0
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) January 26, 2024
Mescal and Scott have a handful of critically acclaimed roles between them, with both well-known for playing troubled romantic leads as Connell in Normal People and the “Hot Priest” in Fleabag respectively.
Scott said the Priest is a character that has “ignited audience’s imaginations”, even as recently as last month.
“I was in LA and crossing the Santa Monica Boulevard – really wide crossing, lots of cars – and four [drivers] were like, ‘Hot Priest! It’ll pass! Good luck at the Golden Globes!’,” he said.
“It’s incredible the way they don’t mind shouting.”
'It’ll pass' became one of Scott’s most iconic lines in Fleabag, along with the moment the Priest gives into his feelings for the main character and tells her to “kneel”.
Scott said in public, those two lines are often yelled at him – and Mescal shared the sentiment of many fans.
“‘Kneel’ is the sexiest line of all time,” he said.
All of Us Strangers is playing in Irish cinemas now and is not yet available online.
