- It’s no secret that Paul Mescal has a fair few tattoos
- But what is the meaning behind his delicate inkings?
- Pubity.com takes a look…
It’s no secret that Paul Mescal loves a delicate tattoo.
And as one of Hollywood’s rising stars, it’s no wonder that fans are now trying to decipher what each of the drawings means.
From wildlife to a movie quote, followers of Mescal’s work think they have discovered what each of his tattoos is in reference to.
Pubity.com takes a look…
The swallow
Mescal has a small line design on the inside part of his upper left arm, picturing a swallow in flight, which is about four centimetres in length.
The actor explained that this swallow tattoo is a very sweet reminder of his family, whom he has been separated from since moving to London.
“My dad and I always used to go into the garden around March to spot the first swallows of the spring,” Mescal once said. “It reminds me of him and home, I guess.”
The deer
On his right forearm, Mescal has a delicate line drawing of a deer.
And fans are convinced it’s a dedication to his friend Daisy Edgar-Jones.
The pair shot to stardom together on the hit Hulu series Normal People, playing Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan.
The story – which is based on Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel of the same name – follows the pair from their school days into adulthood, as they struggle to navigate their ever-changing relationship.
Unlike their characters, Mescal and Edgar-Jones have never enjoyed a romantic relationship (that we know of!). But the pair have forged a great friendship – which has had their followers hooked for years.
According to the deepdive, the deer is a huge nod to Edgar-Jones’s character Marianne, after Connell writes to her to tell her “thoughtful face and nice sleek body” reminds him of the animal.
“It’s something to do with Normal People,” Mescal previously admitted in an interview.
The… crop circle?
Erm, we have to admit… we’re not too sure what this one means.
While it looks sort of like a crop circle or compass, Mescal has also been cryptic about its meaning – and says he just liked the look of it.
“That one I just got recently, but literally means nothing,” he explained. “I just liked the design.”
The movie quote
Of course a film buff like Mescal was going to have a movie quote tattooed on his arm!
The Gladiator II star got the inking last Christmas time on his left forearm, which reads, “Meet me in Montauk”.
Fellow cinephiles will know that the line is taken from the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet.
Weirdly, the movie is also Ariana Grande’s favorite, and the inspiration behind the name for her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. So maybe it’s a Glicked thing?
The ‘mom’ dedication
Mescal is extremely close to his family – so much so, that he actually has a small tattoo dedicated to his mother, Dearbhla.
The tiny, arrow-pierced love heart on his left shoulder has the word ‘mom’ written on it. Sweet.
Does Paul Mescal have any other tattoos?
Yes, Mescal has a whole slew of other tattoos… but he hasn’t revealed their meaning.
Mescal has inkings of clasped hands on his right inner bicep; a weird box puppet master at the top of his right arm; and two leaves on his ankle which look particularly like laurels – perhaps in a nod to his performance as Lucius in Gladiator II.
