Paul Mescal had a tongue-in-cheek response when quizzed by a fan about his unashamedly “short shorts”.
The Normal People actor, 28, has become something of a sartorial icon with his preference for thigh-grazing garments, spawning a street-style phenomenon in recent years.
During a visit to BBC Radio 1 on Thursday, he received a question from a young caller about his eyebrow-raising style.
“Hi, my name is Lily, I’m five years old. Hi, Paul.” the fan said while introducing herself over the phone, in a video shared on TikTok.
“Why are your shorts so short?”
The Gladiator II star burst out laughing, admitting, “It’s a good question, Lily,” before joking, “Lily’s mum definitely asked her that.”
He went on: “They’re short, Lily, they’re sports shorts.
“They’re not custom made for me to be short, they’re just very practical for exercise, and they’re great for running in.”
The Aftersun actor then joked: “I might next summer just like, have my bum [hanging out]... Just go for the hot pants next summer.”
Mescal’s well-documented affinity for tiny shorts hit new heights when he wore striped boxers to the Gucci menswear show at Milan Fashion Week in June 2024.
He described them as “a cute pair of shorts,” to GQ and teamed them with a loose shirt, white socks, and loafers.
Describing how to style the look, he told the outlet: “From my eye, it’s to do with proportion. A shorter short with maybe a longer top. I’m a big advocate for men wearing shorter shorts.”
Earlier this week, the All Of Us Strangers actor insisted he is “not responsible” for the upsurge in men wearing tiny shorts.
Mescal told Variety he is simply dressing like the majority of Irishmen who play Gaelic Athletic Association football.
During the interview, the writer noted that they saw a lookalike sporting “Mescal short shorts, Mescal scruffy facial hair and a little Mescal mullet,” prompting the actor to grin and say: “I have noticed certain similarities in certain specific boroughs of London.”
Mescal is set to swap the shorts for togas and gladiator sandals in his latest movie, Gladiator II.
The Irish star plays the character of Lucius alongside two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington in the film, which hits theatres on November 22.
