Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones talks real-life relationship with Paul Mescal

From Red Online

Lockdown entertainment has unquestionably been dominated by the appearance of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal, gracing our screens as star-crossed lovers Marianne and Connell, in the wildly successful BBC adaption of Sally Rooney's Normal People.

Understandably, the nation has become obsessed with not only these two characters, but the intense chemistry between the two young lead actors. That's why we were all ears when Edgar-Jones opened up to Elizabeth Day on her How To Fail podcast about her off-screen relationship with Connell, how she tackles her issues with anxiety and how on earth she's maintaining that famous fringe during lockdown.

LISTEN TO ELIZABETH DAY'S CHAT WITH DAISY HERE

5 things to know about Daisy Edgar-Jones

1. She has a real-life relationship with Paul Mescal

Sadly, not of the romantic kind, but the 21 year-old actress has nothing but praise for her co-star: 'I'm ever so lucky to have met Paul.' Describing their friendship as 'a wonderful thing,' and something that she'll 'treasure for ever,' the star revealed that off-screen, their relationship is 'polar opposite.'

'[Marianne and Connell] are quite serious at times,' whereas in real-life, the duo are quite different. 'I’m quite flappy and get the giggles very easily,' she explains. 'We're very silly together,' which 'really helps' when you're filming intense scenes.

Their off-screen friendship was clear to see this past weekend, when Mescal posted a sweet birthday tribute of four black and white photos, featuring his co-star, on his Instagram account for her twenty-second birthday.

On-screen, the pair fizzle with chemistry - something that was vital to Edgar-Jones securing the sought-after role - revealing that she had to do a 'chemistry read' with 24 year-old Mescal. 'I think I was the second to last girl they saw for the part,' she muses. 'Paul got cast a wee bit before me and then I came along about a month later.'

2. She suffers from anxiety

Yep, even gorgeous, seemingly-successful actors suffer from the debilitating disorder too. Edgar-Jones' particular brand comes out in the form of hypochondria; a reaction to feelings of FOMO and imposter syndrome, which result from her decision not to go to drama school or university. A move that means she now struggles to have confidence in her own opinions: 'I have a constant need for validation which must be exhausting to my family,' she told Day.

She combats her anxiety, which she says 'comes in waves,' by speaking to the right people: 'Down days happen all the time, [you just have to] work through it and seeking out the positives'. She also advises fellow sufferers to 'surround yourself with people who are really kind to you'.

3. Her (now) famous fringe was a 'break-up' haircut

Not from a romantic dalliance (she's currently in a long-term relationship with Game of Thrones actor Tom Varey), but a reaction to several 'knocks' last year. Describing the audition process for actors as 'like dating,' she compares successful call-backs to the beginning stages of a relationship, hence her reactive 'break-up haircut,' when she didn't end up getting the part.

Luckily for us, those professional setbacks resulted in Edgar-Jones' now famous bangs, which she credits as 'the best decision [she's] ever made,' and is adamant that she only got the part of Marianne in Normal People, 'because she has a fringe.'

But, how has she been maintaining said fringe while all the hairdressers have been closed? 'It's a really interesting process,' she laughs, admitting that her flatmate has been doing 'a great job of it' for her during lockdown.

4. Her friends are all in love with Connell too

When Day asks if people she knows in real life have been using her to get to Paul Mescal, she says 'Yes, too many to count have been asking if he's single'.

'He's going to have a really interesting process coming out of isolation,' she laughs.

5. She has famous fans

When asked what the most bonkers thing to happen to her since the show's release in April, the actress revealed that fellow BBC star Jodie Comer, who's currently starring as psychopathic assassin Villanelle in the third season of Killing Eve, recently 'did a post about [the show],' which Edgar-Jones couldn't quite believe.

‘I love Jodie Comer, I think she’s incredible,’ she gushes. Ironically, Normal People recently overtook Killing Eve as the BBC's biggest current show, pulling in 16 million views in its first week on iPlayer.

Other famous faces who've publicly declared their love for the show include Kourtney Kardashian, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Chris O'Dowd and James Corden, the latter of whom has since invited the pair to appear on his U.S. primetime chat show The Late Late Show with James Corden.

If you still haven't watched Normal People, you can catch up on every episode via BBC iPlayer now - we strongly suggest you do! You can listen to Elizabeth Day's How to Fail podcast with Daisy Edgar-Jones here.

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