Hamnet recently won best drama at the 2026 Golden Globes. Paul Mescal’s performance was especially praised.
But there was a scene in the drama that required emotional intensity.
It shows how William Shakespeare, who portrays the actor, has writer’s block: failing to generate new ideas while writing.
To show such raw emotion, Paul admits, “I was drinking for that scene,” adding, “But I don’t want to… it was exciting for me because it wasn’t something I’d done before.”
He continues, “I don’t think that takes anything away from the fact that there’s a lot of acting around that subject as well. It’s not like that doesn’t dictate.”
A dose of alcohol, the actor adds, made him feel more disconnected, allowing him to perform the scene better.
“I don’t think I would have felt safe doing that without it being in Chloé and Jessie’s hands. And I think it kind of opened up a concept of feeling.” [disconnected].”
“I felt super close to Jessie during filming, but that day, I mean, you can see it in her eyes — we’re not connected in a way that I think is really helpful to the scene,” says the star.
In recognition of Paul’s performance, he was nominated for the 2026 Golden Globes in the Best Supporting Actor category.
