Seven days ago, Paul Mescal had a humble 6,000 Instagram followers.
Fast forward one week, twelve poignant episodes of Normal People and high praise from the likes of Jodie Comer and Lewis Capaldi, the talented Irish actor boasts a rather remarkable 150k followers thanks to his powerful performance of an adrift and delicate Connell Waldron.
And this number will only continue to grow thanks to his unconditional and flawless execution of the confused young man.
The 24-year-old actor, who grew up in County Kildare, just outside of Dublin, portrays Connell's battle with mental health and his undying connection with his childhood sweetheart Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) in the sublime BBC adaption of Sally Rooney's coming-of-age novel of the same name.
For the uninitiated, Normal People tells the heartbreaking tale of two Irish teenagers who oscillate in and out of one another's lives throughout school and university. It's a bittersweet portrayl of human connection, the intensity and rawness of first love, and the devastating results of miscommunication, bad timing, loss of identity, suicide and mental health.
As the story unfolds, the twosome come together and fall apart, never quite fully conveying their feelings and unintentionally distancing themselves from each other in the process.
Starting their final year in school, Marianne and Connell couldn’t be more different. She is a loner who refuses to play to social conventions; he is the popular star of the local Gaelic football team and academically gifted.
Their paths cross away from the prying eyes of Connell’s friends at Marianne’s opulent but cold home, where his mother, Lorraine, works as a cleaner. Within these walls, Marianne is trapped in a cycle of abuse she cannot wait to escape.
From the very beginning, their relationship is plagued with miscommunication and the fear of what other people think. Connell is shaped by the latter early on, including his mishandling of their burgeoning romance against the backdrop of small-town perceptions.
Both are accepted to study at Trinity College, Dublin, but whereas Marianne finds her social footing in the city, Connell is cut adrift.
Despite the fact that Lenny Abrahamson's adaption of Sally Rooney’s eponymous novel has pulled at the heart stings of spectators from far and wide, it feels particularly nostalgic and true to life for Irish audiences who have once reveled in the exact same experiences as Connell and Marianne.
The creators didn't feel the need to expound national slang words, mannerisms, traditions and Irish lifestyle. Instead, they let it flow, in the most raw and natural manner, which rings exceptionally true when it comes to the bare sex scenes in the series.
There's no denying that the sexual element to Connell and Marianne's connection is where they shed all doubt, and it's the only time where they can fully communicate their deep love and feelings for one another - without words.
It's in these moments of intense and crushing intimacy that the pair appear to speak a language no one else understands - especially the elderly catholic members of the Irish community who have slammed the intimate scenes as 'pornographic' following Normal People's debut on RTE televison.
Yes, there's nudity, but more impactful are the prolonged stares, breathy kisses and subtle skin grazes loaded with meaning.
Scenes between Connell and Marianne feel so intimate and true to real life, it’s sometimes hard to watch - it's as if you're the characters themselves, waiting on every breath, inhale and tender touch.
Opening up about the challenges of exposing his body in full frontal nudity, Paul admits that it was something which he grateful albeit anxious to be able to do in order to tell the story of Connell to the best of his ability.
"I wouldn’t liked to have done the show without nudity in it, because the book is so visceral and raw" he tells Mirror Online.
"When I read the book, the characters are clearly naked in my head so I knew that was going to be the case when I got the part".
"Do I have to get naked? Yeah, absolutely fine. Do I want screenshots all over the internet? Probably not, but that’s ultimately something I can’t control" he explains.
Following the controversy over the sex scenes, the 24-year-old admits he was rather 'surprised' by the backlash.
"I suppose I was a bit surprised, but the last thing I want to do is sit and judge people for that, because they’re entitled to their opinion.
"My own perspective of it is we worked hard to make it feel like it was a real, accurate and truthful representation of sex amongst young people. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of and incredibly proud to see on Irish screens, personally".
In such an intense and yet quiet story, Paul Mescal embodies absolute perfection in both his portrayal of Connell's complicated personality traits and his manly Irish appearance in his very first TV role..
Although his performance has received non-stop praise, Paul insists he would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling the pressure before Normal People's debut.
"From day one I was aware of how popular the book was and how people related to Connell and with great power comes great responsibility and there's an immense power behind the novel and the fans of the book are fanatic — and rightfully so.
"I have thought, 'Oh s---, what if I get this wrong? I’m gonna be hated and I’m never going to work again".
Anyone who has cried through his powerful depiction of depression and anxiety in young Irish men in the latter six episodes of the series can say with certainty that Paul's initial concerns are non-existent.
Normal People kicks off important conversations on mental health, particularly with Connell.
He is a character who first appears indestructible: confident, popular and healthy, but as the narrative transgresses, this image deteriorates, when he struggles with anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
Making his full acting debut, Paul is a revelation as Connell, depicting the character’s emotional struggles with great sensitivity.
"Connell thinks about his feelings a lot but doesn’t express them and that cripples him. I found him really claustrophobic to play.
"I wanted to rip open his heart and tell him, ‘Just say what you’re thinking for five minutes and I promise you’ll feel a bit better".
At times the actor's face looks like it is about to collapse under the weight of his anxiety, and in Paul, the producers have unearthed a star who perfectly embodies the spirit of the source material.
The truly gifted young man has captured the hearts of not only one nation, but several, and he will no doubt steal yours if you haven't, for some strange reason, not got around to watching the masterpiece that Normal People is, just yet.
Stream all 12 episodes of Normal People on BBC Player and catch up in Ireland on RTE PLayer.
