Paul Mescal, the 29-year-old actor who portrays William Shakespeare in the Chloe Zhao-directed film Hamnet, has revealed that working on the project has reshaped his perspective on connection and support. Speaking to E! News, he shared how the story served as a reminder of how interdependent people are. "If this film taught me anything, it's that you can't be your best self without the people who support you," he emphasized in a recent interview.
Mescal also confessed to feeling a sense of relief after the film received positive early reviews. He told IndieWire that seeing audiences grasp the vision the cast and crew had set out to create lifted a weight from their shoulders. "Having a film premiere is akin to giving a baby into the world... It's a huge, overwhelming relief," he said.
While he admits to enjoying large-scale projects, Mescal feels more drawn to smaller, character-driven stories. Despite recently starring in the blockbuster Gladiator II, he still considers indie films his "bread and butter." "My dad introduced me to Gladiator when I was 13, and I was captivated by the battle sequences. But it's films like Aftersun and other indie gems that are my go-to as an actor," he told The Hollywood Reporter.
