Paul Mescal: Actor tells of his fury after ‘creepy’ fan groped him as he posed for selfie outside London theatre

Oscar nominee and Normal People star Paul Mescal has described his “fury” after a fan groped his backside.

Mescal said he was outside London’s Almeida Theatre, where he’s starring in an acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire, when a woman asked for a photo.

“As we posed for it, she put her hand on my ass. I thought it was an accident, so I like (moved away) but the hand followed,” he told ES Magazine.

“I remember tensing up and feeling just, like, fury. I turned to her and said, ‘What’re you doing? Take your hand off my ass’.”

The 27-year-old said it was “uncomfortable for everyone involved” and he didn’t want to “call somebody out in front of the theatre”, but that “it was so gross, creepy”.

However, Mescal described his experience of fame so far as overwhelmingly positive.

“97% of it is really nice – then 3% is somebody, like, grabbing your ass,” he said.

The Irish actor entered the spotlight after starring with Daisy Edgar-Jones in the 2020 adaptation of Sally Rooney novel Normal People.

His breakout role in the BBC series saw him portrayed by some fans and media as a sex symbol.

Mescal will be thrust into the Hollywood limelight at next month’s Oscars, where he is nominated for his role in coming-of-age film Aftersun.

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He told The Hollywood Reporter the best actor nod was “a big surprise” and that he was looking forward to the famous Oscars afterparties.

“I’m hoping that the Oscars afterparties are going to be fun – because I think the Irish can show up in that setting,” he said.

His compatriots Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Kerry Condon are all nominated for their roles in The Banshees Of Inisherin.

“I feel like [Irish actors] always over-represented ourselves,” Mescal added. “Just in terms of population, we’re punching above our weight.”