Paul Mescal Is Not Chasing 'Megastardom', Will Be 'Profoundly Depressed' If It Were To Come His Way

While most who enter the showbiz space in the capacity of an actor, are not only looking to encounter fame, but fully ready to embrace it, there are also those who act simply to honour their talent for the artform. While fame may have a lot to offer for those with public careers, its pitfalls are many and deep. All Of Us Strangers star Paul Mescal has a strong reflection to share on the same.

Paul Mescal does not want megastardom

Paul Mescal, who was just seen in awards circuit frontrunner, All Of Us Strangers, will next be seen in Ridley Scott's Gladiator 2 - easily one of the biggest global projects of this year. When asked what he expects his biggest takeaway from featuring in the film to be, Mescal opened a pandora's box regarding his reflections on fame.

Speaking to Sunday Times Culture magazine, he said, "I don’t know what the difference will be. Maybe that’s naive. Is it just that more people will stop you on the street? I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true. I’ll have an answer next year, but if (Galdiator 2) impacts my life in that way, I’ll be in a bad spot." Mescal further joked how he would probably have to then pick an "obtuse" under the radar project to bring back some "balance" in his life.

Paul Mescal wants to preserve the authenticity of cinema

Paul Mescal also reflected on how several casting gigs are weighing in actors' social media following as a marker for what they can bring to project at hand. Calling 'content' a "filthy" word, Mescal further expressed being "scared" for the future of acting as it is being increasingly equated with social media stardom. 

He said, "I’m not being snobby, but there are two concurrent industries. One that works with a lack of care and artistic integrity. Go nuts, make stuff with Instagram followers as a factor, whatever… but the other is what’s always been there, the craft of film-making, directing, lighting and production design. That keeps artists alive. And audiences want to be challenged."