‘Normal People’ Star Paul Mescal Says He Has a ‘Gut Feeling’ He Will Die Young

Oscar-nominated actor Paul Mescal got deep about death in a new interview with GQ Magazine, where he revealed he fears dying and has long believed he will die young.

The Normal People star, who is 28, is set to lead Ridley Scott‘s upcoming sequel Gladiator II, told the publication, “I’ve always been convinced that I’m not going to live a long life. People have this response, but in my head, it’s never been drastic. It’s just like a gut feeling.”

He added, “Maybe it’s to do with the fact that I can’t visualize myself as an 80-year-old man. I’m also afraid of death. So I think if death was to come for me at 55, I’d be equally afraid of it as I would be at 90. I don’t believe anybody who’s like, ‘I’m ready for it.’ I’m like, ‘Bulls***!'”

As for where this feeling stems from, Mescal admitted it’s long been with him, and he’s never been able to picture himself as an old man. “It’s always in my head,” he shared. “I was like, going to have a family young. I’m going to not survive a long time. Hopefully, I’m wrong. I think I will be wrong. But that’s just the truth around my brain.”

Mescal won a BAFTA for Best Actor and earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role as Connell Waldron in Sally Rooney‘s Normal People. In 2022, he starred in Charlotte Wells’ coming-of-age film Aftersun, for which he earned a Best Actor nomination at the 2023 Academy Awards.

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His other credits include the TV drama series The Deceived and the films The Lost Daughter, God’s Creatures, Carmen, All of Us Strangers, and Foe. He will next be seen playing Lucius Verus in Gladiator II, a sequel to the multi-Oscar-winning 2000 film starring Russell Crowe. His character is the grown-up son of Lucilla, who was portrayed as a child in the original.

When asked about the inevitable comparisons to Crowe, Mescal told GQ he didn’t even get in touch with the New Zealand born actor as he “wouldn’t know what to say.” He also said he doesn’t want his role in the new Gladiator movie to define the rest of his career.

“I think it’s also a mistake when people go, ‘This was Russell’s thing,’ ” Mescal stated. “Russell had proven himself time and time again. And he proved himself time and time again after Gladiator. An amazing career like Russell has had wasn’t built by just Gladiator.”

Gladiator II, In Theaters, November 22, 2024