Quick question: Can a man have no social media presence and still be dubbed as the ‘internet’s boyfriend’? Well, if you thought the answer was ‘no’, we implore you to meet the new Hollywood charmer – Paul Mescal. But who exactly were Paul Mescal’s girlfriends?
Mescal first arrived on our screens in 2020 as Connell in the BBC drama Normal People and soon became the poster boy of romance.
The Irish actor has played the lead in some of the most iconic love stories to grace our screens in recent years and has had fans invested in his love life off the screen all along.
While some of his relationships have been public like the one with singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers in 2020, others have been pretty elusive like the one with Hollywood royalty Angelina Jolie. He has also been romantically linked to the Talk To Me actor Sophie Wilde.
Now with fresh rumours doing the rounds that the ‘I know it won’t work’ singer Gracie Abrams is Paul Mescal’s new girlfriend, we thought of taking a look at his dating history and tracking down all the women he has been romantically involved with in the past.
Breaking down Paul Mescal’s list of girlfriends and dating history
Here’s a comprehensive list of Paul Mescal’s girlfriends, from flings to full-blown affairs.
- Phoebe Bridgers: 2020-2022
- Angelina Jolie: January 2023
- Keelin Moncrieffe: 2023
- Sophie Wilde: 2023-June 2024
- Gracie Abrams: June 2024
Phoebe Bridgers (2020-2022)
Profession: Singer-songwriter
How did they meet: Online on X (formerly Twitter)
phoebe bridgers and paul mescal trading caps is something deeply personal to me pic.twitter.com/8cyYVusuAg
— juan (@sandovalitwo) March 27, 2024
The first famous relationship of Paul Mescal was with American singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers and it all began in a typical 21st-century fashion on X (formerly Twitter).
In December 2019, the All of Us Strangers actor posted a picture of his Spotify wrapped on X, which revealed Bridgers as his top artist for the year. While the ‘Funeral’ singer did not respond to her title of Mescal’s #1 artist, she did give Mescal some love for his performance in Normal People.
“Finished normal people and now I’m sad and horny oh wait,” Bridgers tweeted. Pat came in Mescal’s reply, “I’m officially dead.” Bridgers wrote back, “nooo don’t die you[‘re] so talented aha.”
In June 2020, Mescal started following Bridgers on Instagram and just two weeks later they caught up for a fun Instagram livestream project for Wonderland Magazine, where they exchanged flirtatious banter. By this time dating speculations about the two were already rife.
Later in November 2020, Mescal hinted at a new relationship without naming Phoebe, telling GQ his “girlfriend” was a “lifesaver” during the COVID-19 lockdown. “To have someone to lean on through such a mad, mad time has been invaluable. Really, I don’t know where I’d be without her,” he said.
The duo then indirectly made it official in December 2020, with Mescal starring in the music video for Phoebe’s track, ‘Saviour Complex’.
The following year, they were spotted together in two separate Instagram posts. The first was captured at the BAFTAs after Paul took home the award for Leading Actor for Normal People. The second showed the couple getting cosy at a costume party amongst a group of friends, while dressed as Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox.
Then, in November 2021, they made their romance official, with their first public appearance. The pair walked the red carpet at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in California, affectionately posing for photos, with Phoebe even resting her head on Paul’s shoulder for one photo op.
And if there was any doubt that the red carpet appearance signalled the start of an official romantic relationship, Phoebe even playfully Tweeted during the award’s show, writing, “Paul thinks thousand island is called hundred years sauce.”
Just one month later, they took their relationship to the next level by going Instagram official. Phoebe posted a sweet snap of the two arm-in-arm by the sea. A modern-day declaration of love, if you ask us.
Another milestone in this love story was the 2022 Met Gala, which the pair attended together. Paul and Phoebe looked very much in love as they giggled on the famed Met steps, with Paul looking dapper in a tuxedo, and Phoebe in a glamorous beaded gown.
Around the same time, rumours swirled of a possible engagement. Shortly after, however, a new rumour took over: Paul and Phoebe had officially called it quits.
In keeping with their lowkey attitude throughout their relationship, neither one of the duo officially confirmed the split. However, in February 2023, Paul got candid with Vanity Fair about the media’s persistent interest in his love life. “Sometimes I can drown it out and then other times it makes me really mad and upset,” he said. “People are going to write and say things because there’s a certain interest with any person who’s in the public eye in how that person lives their life, and who they’re living up with, and what they’re doing and how they’re going about doing it,” he added.
Angelina Jolie (January 2023)
Profession: Actor
How did they meet: They met for a coffee
Shortly after calling it quits with Bridgers, it seemed Mescal had struck up a new romance with none other than Angeline Jolie.
The unlikely pairing was spotted grabbing coffee in London in January 2023, alongside Angelina’s 16-year-old daughter, Shiloh.
Fans were floored when Angelina Jolie, 47, was photographed meeting with Paul Mescal for coffee in London amid his and Phoebe’s breakup rumours. However, an insider close to Paul quickly shut any dating rumours down. The Maleficent actress “wanted to meet Paul after she and Shiloh enjoyed watching his play, [A Streetcar Named Desire],” the person told Us Weekly in mid-January. Angie’s daughter, Shiloh, 16, “loved” meeting Paul, and the outing “was a friendly coffee and nothing more than that,” according to the source.
Keelin Moncrieffe (2023)
Profession: Influencer
How did they meet: Not known
Up next on the list of Paul Mescal’s girlfriends is Keelin Moncrieffe.
While the actor has not officially confirmed his relationship status, celebrity gossip page DeuxMoi has recently reported that Paul has been spotted with the Irish influencer.
An insider speaking to the page shared that they had spotted the potential new couple “looking cozy in Lucky’s Meath Street” in Dublin after Moncrieffe unfollowed her boyfriend on Instagram.
Sophie Wilde (2023-June 2024)
Profession: Actor
How did they meet: At a red carpet event
The next name to go down in Paul Mescal’s dating history is Sophie Wilde. The two became friends after meeting at various red carpet events the year prior. In October 2023, the Mirror reported that Mescal had signed up for a dating app. Those of us on dating apps wait patiently.
On 18 February 2024, Paul and Sophie both attend the BAFTAs and a subsequent after-party for the ceremony. They aren’t photographed together, but here are their individual vibes!
The Mirror dropped a yet-to-be-confirmed-elsewhere report that Paul and Sophie are dating, and speaks with a source who shared, “Paul and Sophie have been having lots of fun together and now their friendship has turned into something more. They got really close after last month’s B Awards and were seen smooching into the early hours at an after-party at Chiltern Firehouse. It’s early days, but they’re excited about where things could go. They have a solid foundation and loads of respect for each other.”
Gracie Abrams (latest dating speculation)
Profession: Singer
How did they meet: Spotted on a lunch date
While Mescal or Wilde never officially confirmed the nature of their relationship, the latest name that’s been romantically linked to him is of singer Gracie Abrams. The two were recently (30 June 2024) seen on a lunch date at BRAT Restaurant in London. They seemed to be enjoying each other’s company, with Mescal at one point also affectionately stroking Abrams’ cheek as seen in the images obtained by TMZ.
Paul Mescal On Date With Gracie Abrams in London | Click to read more https://t.co/rjkkjyKJl6
— TMZ (@TMZ) June 30, 2024
This endearing sighting comes shortly after Abrams released her second album, The Secret of Us, which includes a collaboration with pop star Taylor Swift.
Honourable mention: Daisy Edgar-Jones
Profession: Actor
How did they meet: On the set of Normal People
Now we come to someone everyone WANTS to see as Paul Mescal’s girlfriend one day, his Normal People co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones. Ever since their undeniable on-screen chemistry as Connell and Marianne, fans have speculated if there could be more to the friendship of co-stars Paul and Daisy Edgar-Jones.
But while there’s no actual proof that Mescal and Edgar-Jones are actually anything more than good friends, it hasn’t stopped fans from speculating over the years.
Among the most famous pieces of evidence are pictures from the 2022 Met Gala where, although Mescal is posing with then-partner Phoebe Bridgers, an image from a different angle shows him apparently gazing at Edgar-Jones in the distance.
In another instance, Edgar-Jones presented Mescal a BIFA for his role in Aftersun (2022), making for one of the sweetest moments ever to be caught on camera. In the cute video shared to TikTok, the pair can be seen elatedly hugging after Mescal makes his way onto the stage to collect the award. We’re not crying, you are.
One of the most recent additions to the Mescal and Edgar-Jones rumours took place in September 2023. In a seemingly innocent series of photos posted to Edgar-Jones’s Instagram from Milan Fashion Week, fans were quick to hone in on an unassuming detail.
In the second snap, which shows Edgar-Jones at a fitting, her phone screen is on display, as well as what looks suspiciously to be an image of Paul Mescal as her screen saver.
In 2024, another rom-com moment took place for Mescal as he was seen shyly spotting Edgar-Jones at the Gucci fashion show.
Paul Mescal spotting Daisy Edgar-Jones at the Gucci fashion show. pic.twitter.com/Gca2xkaNw5
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) May 13, 2024
(Header and feature image courtesy: IMDb/Normal People, Twitter, Instagram/Aurélie Lamachère)
This story first appeared here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Mescal is rumoured to be dating singer Gracie Abrams.
The two dated for almost three years, starting from early 2020 to late 2022.
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Kratagya Rathore could possibly be your passport into the world of style, grooming, skincare, and mindful living. Fashion is as imperative to him as his daily 10,000 steps count. He is a raconteur, almost living his life in a musical; A social firefly who is also fluent in silence. A journalism grad, Kratagya has previously worked for Times Internet and The Times of India.
