I Want What They Have: Paul Mescal and Literally Everyone He’s Ever Been Rumored to Be Dating

Ah, Paul Mescal. How to write about the man who whips social media up into a froth of lust every time he emerges from his house in scanty shorts? The 28-year-old Irish actor has been a veritable sex symbol since his appearance in Hulu’s adaptation of the 2018 Sally Rooney novel Normal People, and if you’re a handsome, famous guy in America (or in Ireland, I guess), there’s inevitably going to be gossip about who you’re dating at any given time.

Is this fair? No, not entirely. But if female celebrities can have their romances discussed to death in the tabloids, I guess it’s…a certain kind of gender equality to also gossip nonstop about Mescal’s various entanglements. (Gloria Steinem, don’t read this.)

Mescal is, as far as we know, single at the moment, which makes this the perfect time to brush up on all his past relationships, situationships, and (let’s be honest) platonic cigarette dates that women’s-media bloggers like me turn into think pieces as easily as converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. Below, find as complete a timeline as I could put together of Mescal’s dating history:

Phoebe Bridgers

I love any celebrity romance that begins with shitposting, as Bridgers and Mescal’s did when they engaged in a sexy Twitter back-and-forth in 2021 that led to them…actually dating and attending the Met Gala together in 2022. Their breakup was rumored in 2023, but both parties were reluctant to speak publicly about the end of their relationship, with Mescal telling Vanity Fair: “Giving strangers an answer about my life doesn’t actually help me.”

Daisy Edgar-Jones

Officially, Mescal and Edgar-Jones are just former costars and good friends, but fans were abuzz after Edgar-Jones teased on Instagram Stories recently that the two had “some news to share!” In the end, they were promoting a marathon screening of Normal People for charity, but…I mean, remember how good they looked dressed up as Fleabag and the Hot Priest for Halloween? Even if they’re not dating, maybe they should be?

Ayo Edebiri

This is, it appears, another just-friends situation, although when Edebiri and Mescal posted an adorable St. Patrick’s Day photo together, I did wonder whether there might be more to their bond. So far, there have been no further developments on this front, though fans are hopeful they are…starring in an Emily Henry rom-com adaptation together? So that’s something, kind of!

Sophie Wilde

Australian actor Wilde was reportedly spotted with Mescal in February at the 2024 BAFTAs, and not to be a total tinfoil-hat conspiracy theorist, but I kind of feel like the fact that there’s no picture of them together from that event says a mouthful. After all, unless they were conspicuously trying to keep things chill and off camera, wouldn’t they have posed for a few red-carpet shots? The rumor mill has died down about this potential coupling, but I still believe.

Natalie Portman

Mescal’s relationship with the newly single Portman really only extends, as far as we can tell, to smoking cigarettes together in London once—but if you’ve ever seen a movie from the 1940s, you know that sharing a cig can be one of the sexiest things two people do together. I mean, smoking kills and all, obviously, but…dare to dream?

Gracie Abrams

It’s just dinner!! Or is it…? Honestly, Abrams does appear to be Mescal’s type on paper—which is to say, a cool young singer-songwriter who is friends with Taylor Swift—and I, for one, am anxiously awaiting the beginning of her bops about this particular relationship (though some fans already think that “Normal Thing” and “Risk” are Mescal coded). Then again, anyone who’s truly a Paul Mescal GF probably won’t turn their bond into content, which is sad for us but good for them (I guess!).