Paul Mescal has taken a good-humored approach to missing out on an Oscar nomination for Hamnet, even as co-star Jessie Buckley earned recognition for her performance. The actor addressed the awards-season outcome while supporting a short film that puts artists with learning disabilities at the center of the creative process. His reaction offered a glimpse of where his attention lies beyond the awards circuit.

For Mescal, the moment also arrives after a career shaped by emotionally demanding performances, from Normal People to Aftersun and Hamnet. Awards have become part of the conversation around his work, but they are only one measure of the roles he chooses.

During a Q&A for Mary Is Missing, a short film he executive produced that was made by and stars artists with learning disabilities, Mescal addressed the fact that he did not receive an Oscar nomination for Hamnet. According to Variety, he responded with a laugh.

 “I didn’t get one, Jessie [Buckley] did … I think Oscars are great,” he said.

His brief answer acknowledged the difference in their awards-season outcomes without turning the moment into a grievance.

Variety reported the exchange as Mescal spoke in the context of Mary Is Missing, making the setting significant. Rather than discussing the snub at a conventional awards-season appearance, he was supporting a project centered on artists whose opportunities to make and star in films deserve attention in their own right. Buckley, meanwhile, received an Oscar nomination for playing Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet, while Mescal portrayed William Shakespeare. Their performances occupy different emotional registers in Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel.

“We Are Still Married”- Saoirse Ronan on Reuniting With Paul Mescal for 'The Beatles' Biopics

The snub has not stopped Mescal from moving into another demanding role that will require him to disappear into a different musical and cultural world. His upcoming slate suggests that the actor is already looking beyond the Shakespearean drama that dominated his recent awards conversation.

Paul Mescal’s next major screen transformation is playing Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ ambitious four-film Beatles project, which is scheduled to arrive in April 2028. He stars alongside Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. Variety reported in August that the four actors had been spotted recreating the Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road album cover, offering a glimpse of the production bringing the Fab Four back to one of their most recognizable locations.

The project marks another significant shift for Mescal, who moved from the intimate heartbreak of Aftersun to the scale of Gladiator II before returning to period drama with Hamnet. He is also attached to Richard Linklater’s Merrily We Roll Along, a musical film being shot across approximately two decades, allowing its performers to age alongside their characters. Variety has reported that Mescal intends to be more selective about his workload after the Hamnet awards campaign, reflecting the demands of sustaining emotionally intense performances.

Mescal’s Oscar snub may remain part of the conversation around Hamnet, but his response suggests he is not letting one awards result define the experience. 

7 Perfect Movies to Watch as a Follow-Up to Chloe Zhao’s 'Hamnet'

What do you think of his reaction, and which of his upcoming projects are you most excited to see? Share your thoughts in the comments.