Paul Mescal says what he found “incredibly inspiring” about his upcoming film Hamnet was Shakespeare’s devotion to love and family.
Mescal and Jessie Buckley, both nominated for Golden Globes for their roles in the film, walked the red carpet for the Irish premiere in Dublin on Saturday.
This is an adaptation of Chloé Zhao by Maggie O’Farrell Hamnet: a novel about the plague will be released in Irish cinemas in January.
At the premiere, Mescal, who plays William Shakespeare, praised the portrayal of the Bard as a devoted family man.
“I find it incredibly inspiring how ambitious he is in terms of his feelings and how invested he is in his love for Agnes. There’s a real confidence in the way he expresses things. And I think that takes a lot of courage,” he said.
He also admitted that he hoped to further promote these qualities. “I certainly hope so,” he said, laughing.
Meanwhile, Buckley, who played Agnes Hathaway, described her character as deeply connected to nature and her own elemental power.
Having just become a mother herself, she added: “I am always curious about revealing the depths of a woman and a mother that have not yet been seen.”
She also reflected on her compelling acting approach. “I definitely want to be in the body and unconscious mind of the people I play so that I can learn something I didn’t know about the world.”
The actors also noted the film’s universal impact. “This film reminded me of what it is to be a storyteller and the journey you can take,” Buckley said.
