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It’s Friday; get in, we’re studying the best way to watch TV.
Welcome to Paul Mescal season
Over the summer season, I spent a while in London with Paul Mescal and his little earring for the GQ November cowl story. We dug into his work on Gladiator II (“The one factor I’ll perpetually be indignant at Ridley for is his deep need to shoot on the fucking peak of summer season, as a pasty Irish boy who doesn’t do nicely within the warmth”). We acquired philosophical (“I’ve all the time been satisfied that I’m not going to reside a protracted life”). And, after all, I requested him about these running-away rumors (“Ohhhhhhh…fucking hell!”).
I first profiled Mescal again in 2020, proper after Regular Individuals blew up. “Over the course of 12 episodes, there’s…an intensifying sense that you just’re witnessing the making of a number one man, one who can be showing on our screens for years and years to come back,” I wrote on the time. Nicely, nicely, nicely. However for actual, within the years since, he’s been making all of the good, genuinely high quality selections a younger actor could make. Aftersun! All of Us Strangers! This fall would be the subsequent check of his mettle, as he trades wistful indies for the $250 million blockbuster enviornment.
Extra from the beautiful and proud nation of Eire
Elsewhere on the “GQ masking Irish exports” beat is a profile on Fontaines D.C. by Olivia Ovenden that’s equal elements rollicking and considerate. She caught the Dublin rockers—sure, a cool rock band in 2024—exactly as they’re blowing up and dealing via just a few rising pains. And, to deliver it full circle, the lads are endorsed by fellow Emerald Isle legends Mescal and Cillian Murphy.
Learn to watch TV
TV’s in a bizarre place proper now. And possibly we’re all somewhat bizarre about watching it too. There are too many streaming companies. You’ll be able to’t cease scrolling whilst you watch. You’re in all probability messing up your REM cycles by falling asleep to The Nice British Bakeoff. Additionally, is it technically dishonest to skip forward on a present that you just’ve been watching along with your girlfriend?
