Paul Mescal is an Irish actor and heartthrob who has been making waves in the entertainment industry since his breakout role in Hulu’s hit series, Normal People. Recently, he made headlines after surprising Frankie Corio, the daughter of Aftersun host Rosie Fortescue, with a birthday message from none other than Olivia Rodrigo.
The surprise came about after Fortescue shared a post on Instagram to celebrate her daughter’s 13th birthday. In the post, she shared a photo of Corio holding up an Olivia Rodrigo album, writing that her daughter was “absolutely obsessing” over the rising star. Fortescue also tagged Rodrigo in the post, saying “Hey @oliviarodrigo, one of your biggest fans Frankie is 13 tomorrow, would mean the world if you could send her a little video message!”
To everyone’s surprise, Paul Mescal responded to the post, writing “Happy birthday Frankie! I heard you’re a fan of Olivia Rodrigo– guess what? I have a surprise for you!” Mescal then posted a video of himself holding a fan-made Olivia Rodrigo poster, saying “Hey Frankie, it’s me, Paul. I’m here with your surprise for your birthday. Are you ready?” He then turned the poster around to reveal a video message from Rodrigo herself.
In the video, Rodrigo wished Corio a happy birthday and thanked her for being a fan. “I hope you have an amazing day, and thank you so much for being such a supporter of my music. It really means the world to me,” she said. Corio, clearly ecstatic at the surprise, can be heard gasping and laughing in the background.
The unexpected collaboration between Mescal and Rodrigo has had fans gushing over the sweet moment. Many have taken to social media to express their admiration for the two stars, with one Twitter user writing “Paul Mescal and Olivia Rodrigo being friends is the wholesome content we all need in 2021”.
This isn’t the first time that Mescal has surprised fans with his kindness and generosity. In April, he raised over €70,000 for Pieta House, a suicide prevention charity in Ireland, by raffling off one of his infamous chain necklaces. The necklace, which he had worn both onscreen and off, had become somewhat of a fashion statement and had even spawned its own Instagram account.
The raffle was met with overwhelming support from fans and was eventually won by a lucky ticket-holder from Canada. In a statement, Mescal expressed his gratitude to all those who had donated, saying “It’s incredible to see that people care so much about mental health and Pieta House, and I’m so grateful to everyone who supported the raffle”.
Mescal’s breakout role in Normal People, a TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel, catapulted him to fame last year. The show, which explores the complex relationship between two young people from rural Ireland, was praised for its honest portrayal of intimacy and its sensitive handling of mental health issues.
Mescal’s performance as Connell Waldron earned him widespread critical acclaim, and he was nominated for Best Actor at the 2020 Emmy Awards. Since then, he has gone on to appear in a number of high-profile projects, including the upcoming movie The Lost Daughter, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Olivia Colman.
Despite his success, Mescal has remained humble and down-to-earth, often taking the time to interact with his fans on social media. He recently shared an Instagram story of himself giving a shoutout to a young actor who had messaged him seeking advice, writing “Keep going, keep believing in yourself, work hard and follow your passion”.
It’s clear that Paul Mescal is not only a talented actor, but also a genuinely kind and caring person. His surprise for Frankie Corio may have been small, but it brought a smile to the faces of thousands of fans and proved once again that there’s more to celebrity than just fame and fortune.