Paul Mescal had big shoes to fill when he was tapped for the lead role of Gladiator II. 24-years after Gladiator reawakened the historical epic genre and took home five Oscars, Mescal was chosen to carry on the original’s legacy in the long-awaited sequel. He rose to the task, offering viewers another tragic hero to look up to in the role of the gladiator Lucius Verus, who carries out his own mission of vengeance sixteen years after the time of Maximus Meridius (Russell Crowe).
If viewers find themselves awed by Mescal’s brutal, powerful, and emotionally raw performance as Lucius, they can use our guide to find out where to stream all of his best movies and TV shows.
Paul Mescal booked his first Hollywood role in 2020 with Normal People. An adaptation of Sally Rooney’s bestselling book of the same name, Normal People follows Connell Waldron (Mescal) and Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a couple who meet in high school and, despite being quite toxic together, can’t seem to avoid each other as they enter and navigate adulthood. The series earned high critical acclaim for Mescal and Edgar-Jones’ vulnerable, emotional performances and its ambitious psychological romance tale.
Normal People is easily Mescal’s best TV role. His best movie role so far is the touching coming-of-age film Aftersun. The film follows Sophie (Frankie Corio) and her father, Callum (Mescal), on their last vacation together when Sophie is 11 years old. As an adult, Sophie reflects on the memories of that vacation to understand her father and their relationship in the present. The movie, a semi-autobiographical story from director Charlotte Wells’, is beautiful and searing as it poignantly explores father-daughter relationships and the nature of memories. For his powerful role as a young father navigating depression, Mescal was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars.
Mescal also garnered recognition for his role in the romance film All of Us Strangers, in which he portrays Harry, the love interest of screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott). Adam must decide whether to be present with Harry or let his grief transport him to the past. Both Mescal and Scott offer potent performances in this mesmerizing and raw exploration of grief and love.
Another one of Mescal’s memorable leading roles is in the hidden gem God’s Creatures. The psychological drama tells the startling tale of Aileen O’Hara (Emily Watson), a woman who lies to protect her son, Brian (Mescal). However, the lie soon threatens to tear up her town, family, and life. Viewers see a different side of Mescal as a cold and remorseless man in a moving tale about parental love and enablement. Another worthwhile watch is the twisty, critically acclaimed psychological drama The Lost Daughter, in which Mescal boasts a small role alongside Dakota Johnson and Olivia Colman.
Where to watch all of Paul Mescal’s best TV shows and movies streaming online
Check out our list below to find all of Paul Mescal’s TV shows and movies and find out where to watch them online in the U.S. The movies and shows are ranked from the best based on the quality of the film/show and Mescal’s performance.
