Normal People star Paul Mescal said fans connect so strongly with the series because they see themselves in Connell and Marianne.
And the Co Kildare actor described his overnight fame as “nuts” ahead of the final two episodes being broadcast on RTE tonight.
Paul said: “We kind of experience the fame side of it through social media and when you put the phones and laptops aside it’s hard to see what it looks like in reality because the world is standing still at the moment.”
The Maynooth man, who plays Connell Waldron in the hit show, told Marty Morrissey on RTE Radio One: “Some of it requires a bit of adjustment.
“Now I know that sometimes going to the shop I might be photographed.”
The actor has risen to global fame and been praised for his role since the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel hit our screens five weeks ago.
Paul’s natural chemistry alongside co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones has also been a big talking point.
When quizzed on why he thinks the show has captivated audiences so strongly, Paul suggested that people can connect with the series on a number of levels.
He said: "I think they see themselves in that relationship potentially. Another fact is that the show is about intimacy and contact with people, things we don’t have at the moment. But it’s impossible to tell."
