Paul Mescal took to social media on Saturday to share an emotional message on the anniversary of the day that “changed” his life last year.
It’s been a turbulent 12 months for the Irish actor, who has seen him compete for an Oscar, star in a film with Saoirse Ronan and land a role in the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.
Despite becoming a big name in Ireland after Sally Rooney’s TV adaptation of Normal People was released during the pandemic, Paul’s profile has gone global in 2022.
The turning point in Mescal’s impressive career came last October with the release of his critically acclaimed drama After the Sun.
In After the Sun, Mescal plays a young father struggling to balance his parental responsibilities with his failing mental health while on vacation with his daughter.
Reflecting on the role that changed his life, Paul paid tribute to his young co-star Frankie Corio, who played his daughter in the film, on his personal Instagram account.
“Aftersun came out a year ago today and changed my life. The next picture is of the poem “Little Tooth” which reminded me of Callum. I read it every day when I was filming.
“Today I feel happy/sad and very grateful that films like After the Sun exist in the world,” Paul wrote.
The poem dedicated to “Little Tooth” by Thomas Lux says: “Your child grows a tooth, then two, four and five, and then she wants meat straight from the bone.
“It’s all over: she’ll learn a few words, she’ll fall in love with cretins, fools, a smooth-talking talker on the way to prison.” And you, your wife, get old, screw up and have no regrets. You did it, you loved it, your legs hurt. Twilight. Your daughter is tall.
The success of After the Sun, which received a superb 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, led to Paul being nominated for Best Actor at this year’s Academy Awards.
Nominated alongside fellow Irish actor Collin Farrell, who received a nod for Banshee of Inisherina, Paul missed out on the gold statue to Brendan Fraser, who won for his role in The Whale.