Course Director "Enormously Proud" Of Paul Mescal

The course director of the acting degree that boasts Oscar nominee Paul Mescal as a former student, has lauded the Maynooth native for the subtle acting style which has got him noticed at the Hollywood stage.

The director Loughlin Deegan has said that he is "enormously proud", adding that Mescal portrays his characters in a way which "isn’t showy, isn’t demonstrative".

Mr Deegan who directs the Lir Drama school where Mescal studied, claimed that his nuanced style of acting identifies with people as a result, adding that the training he undertook emphasised this style.

He continued, "When I went to see him in Aftersun, I thought what was so wonderful about his performance was that he did everything he needed to do and no more. It was a very egoless performance, I thought", Mr Deegan said.  "It was a performance that was emotionally very finely calibrated, and very emotionally truthful". 

"I think Paul’s work is demonstrating a real confidence in that regard, actually - there’s nothing showy about the work, it’s about just basically honouring the truthful reality of the circumstance the character finds themselves in". 

He added, "I think Paul’s work is demonstrating a real confidence in that regard, actually - there’s nothing showy about the work, it’s about just basically honouring the truthful reality of the circumstance the character finds themselves in". 

Paul Mescal made people take notice when he starred in his secondary school's production of The Phantom of the Opera, before bursting onto our screens as Connell Waldron in TV series Normal People, based on Sally Rooney's novel of the same name.

The actor also earned himself an Oscar nomination for Best Actor alongside The Banshees of Inisherin star Colin Farrell, for his role in Aftersun.