Paul Mescal Can't Relate to His "Foe" Character's "Tired Relationship"

Paul Mescal had to find a way to connect to an experience he’s never had while filming Foe, an adaptation of Iain Reid’s 2018 science-fiction novel.

In an interview for Harper’s Bazaar’s September 2023 cover story, the Irish actor opens up about his performance in the Garth Davis–directed project.

In the film, Mescal plays Junior, a rural Midwestern farmer who gets the chance to live in outer space. Meanwhile, his wife, Hen (Saoirse Ronan), remains earthbound with an AI version of him. Their marriage, Mescal explains, isn’t the type of relationship he can personally relate to.

“The feeling of being in a relationship and being in love, to me, sometimes can feel quite like a horse with blinders on. That’s such a wonderful feeling,” he says. “The work in this film was finding out what it’s like to be in a tired relationship. That’s not a sensation I’m familiar with.”

Paul Mescal and Phoebe Bridgers at the 10th annual Lacma Art + Film Gala in November 2021

Since being catapulted into the spotlight following his star-turn role in Hulu’s Normal People, Mescal has kept his romantic life fairly private. Still, his two-year relationship with indie musician Phoebe Bridgers has ignited endless fan intrigue and speculation. (The couple allegedly broke up at the end of 2022.)

“If I’m going to make TV shows like Normal People, there’s going to be an appetite from the world. Eighty percent of that is palpable. And then 20 percent of it is devastating,” Mescal says. “The stuff that hurts is the personal stuff. It’s nobody else’s business and should never be commented on because it’s indecent. And it’s unkind.”

As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset. 

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