We’ve been trying to place Connell from Normal People for ages now, but we’ve finally cracked it.
Normal People is set to hit Irish screens later tonight, kicking off on RTE One with a double bill at 10:15pm.Already having debuted on BBC Three during the week, the series is also due to air over in America tomorrow night. Proving to be a big hit, the taster episodes have gone down a treat with the general consensus being that the show should be top of your must-watch list.
There’s one thing that’s been annoying Irish audiences though… why is the male lead, Connell, so familiar? Played by Kildare newcomer Paul Mescal, he already has a number of stage credits under his belt – including a lead role as Jay Gatsby in the Gate Theatre’s production of The Great Gatsby. However, it’s his standout performance in the Denny’s sausages ad that we remember him for.
Our aha moment came thanks to our favourite Instagram account (@irishcelebsdoingthings). A treasure trove of hilarious content, journalist Amy O’Conner helped shed some light on Paul’s previous acting experience, stunning us all with her impeccable detective skills.
“Before you watch Normal People it is very important you know that the chap who plays Connell is the same chap in the ‘Bali-haunis’ ad for Denny sausages.” Swipe for reference.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_hNI0GnyKE/
While it is in no way relevant to the storyline of the Normal People series, we’d absolutely class it as need-to-know information. Arguably one of the greatest Irish ads of all time, we’ll leave it up to you to judge whether his portrayal of Connell measures up against it.
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