Paul Mescal sets the air clear about his recent comments about career hiatus

Paul Mescal has cleared the air following recent remarks that sparked speculation about him stepping away from his acting career.

Reportedly, the Normal People star clarified his stance in a new chat with PEOPLE Magazine, and stressed that he has no intention of stepping away from acting itself.

“I would really lose my mind if I took two years off [from] my job,” Mescal said. 

Nontheless, Mescal explained that he is simply looking forward to a stretch of time without the demands of promoting new projects.

“But what I'm excited about is the concept of not being on a promotional tour for the next two years.”

Joking about the constant visibility that comes with awards season and press commitments, the actor added, “I think it'll give people a welcome break from seeing my face.”

The clarification comes after Mescal previously said he had no issue promoting his work following his most recent project, Hamnet, co-written by Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell, whose bestselling 2020 novel inspired the film. Hamnet is currently playing in theaters.

Mescal addressed the topic earlier while speaking on the red carpet at the Critics Choice Awards, where he further clarified remarks he had made to The Guardian.

“I couldn’t be further from retiring, to be clear,” he said with a laugh. 

“Essentially, I have nothing to promote after Hamnet for the next two years.”