Paul Mescal Says Movies Are ‘Moving Away’ From ‘Alpha’ Male Leads, Calls It ‘Lazy and Frustrating’ to Compare ‘History of Sound’ to ‘Brokeback Mountain’

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During a press conference at Cannes for “The History of Sound,” Paul Mescal discussed the evolving portrayal of masculinity in films, expressing his belief that the industry is shifting away from traditional alpha male characters. In Oliver Hermanus’ movie, Mescal co-stars with Josh O’Connor as musicians who journey to New England during the summer of 1919 to record the folk songs of their fellow countrymen in a gay romance setting.

He remarked, “It’s constantly changing.” He believes that perhaps in cinema we’re veering away from the typical, dominant, main male characters. He doesn’t see the film as making or reinventing a statement about masculinity; instead, it seems to be highly focused on the dynamic between Lionel and David’s relationship.

In addition, the actor voiced his disapproval towards likening “The History of Sound” to “Brokeback Mountain,” labeling such comparisons as both uninspired and annoying. A number of reviews for “The History of Sound,” including those from EbMaster, established a link between these two movies.

He stated that he doesn’t find any similarities with ‘Brokeback Mountain’, except for the brief time spent in a tent. While he appreciates the movie, it explores themes of repression, which he finds the comparisons to his own work to be oversimplified and irritating. However, he believes that his connection to the film primarily stems from its celebration of their love, rather than the suppression of their sexuality.

When questioned about his relationship with O’Connor, who was absent from the film’s premiere and press conference due to completing work on Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film, Mescal described him as someone “very straightforward to collaborate with.

Josh possesses a remarkable talent… The version of himself that the public perceives is strikingly similar to the one we’re familiar with, which I find quite challenging for an actor in this modern era,” he noted. “We’ve been acquainted for approximately five years and our friendship was well-established, providing a base for trust and play. However, our bond grew significantly during the three or four weeks we were filming together.

Mescal mentioned that although the movie tackled some weighty themes, the atmosphere on set could be quite playful, childlike, and even absurd at times.

He expressed gratitude for already knowing Josh well beforehand, as it provided a solid foundation for their collaboration during filming. Furthermore, he mentioned that this relationship allowed them to continuously develop their dynamic throughout the production process. In addition, he fondly recalled an amusing incident from the set – himself and O’Connor developed a strong fondness for Jolly Ranchers candies, consuming approximately eight each day.

Josh comes off as quite goofy to me, Mescal shared. ‘During filming, we became obsessed with this particular diet,’ she explained, ‘but we also developed an obsession with consuming eight Jolly Ranchers daily… To me, our relationship has a miniature reflection in the connection between Josh and Jolly Ranchers.’

When questioned about whether the movie influenced his personal view of love, Mescal reminisced that he was 24 when he initially read the script, and believes he wouldn’t have portrayed the character in the same manner if he had done it then. The film was actually shot when he was 28 years old.

Mescal stated that love, as depicted by Andrew Scott’s speech in ‘Fleabag’, is a profound mystery to him. He believes it’s difficult to define and captures it best when shown through actions rather than words. In his personal experience, he discovered the importance of kindness in romantic relationships, which often gets overlooked but deserves recognition.

At its debut on Wednesday evening, “The History of Sound” left spectators at Cannes weeping, and was met with a heartfelt six-minute standing ovation. During this outpouring of appreciation, Mescal found himself on the verge of tears. Unfortunately, O’Connor had to forego the premiere due to his commitments filming for Steven Spielberg’s upcoming project.

In addition to Mescal and O’Connor, the movie also features Chris Cooper, Molly Price, Raphael Sbarge, Hadley Robinson, Emma Canning, Briana Middleton, and Gary Raymond as its stars.

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2025-05-22 14:17