Paul Mescal’s mother Dearbhla has said her night out at the Baftas with her nominee son was “amazing” amid her ongoing battle with cancer.
The 27-year-old star was nominated for Best Actor for his role of a young father, Calum, in Aftersun. He eventually lost out to Austin Butler who won for his portrayal of Elvis in the Baz Luhrmann biopic.
Dearbhla is currently undergoing chemotherapy for bone marrow cancer. Speaking to The Mirror, she said she was “very grateful” to have seen her son’s career go from strength to strength - adding it had been “amazing” to attend Sunday night’s awards at the Royal Festival Hall.
She told the Mirror: “These past few days feel like I was in a movie... my heart is just so very grateful.
“What an amazing, amazing gift this was to be part of this incredible, crazy ride.”
Mescal made it a family affair - with his father, Paul, and sister Nell - who is an emerging singer - also attending.
Mescal shot to fame in 2020 as the star of the BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones. The book and series follows a young on-and-off couple Connell, played by Mescal, and Marianne, played by Edgar-Jones, as they navigate their teens and early twenties.
The show, which features a lot of sex scenes and nudity, was critically acclaimed, with Mescal winning a Bafta television award and a nomination for an Emmy.
Cate Blanchett, Butler and Emma Mackey were among the stars to take home Bafta film awards at a star-studded ceremony where tribute was paid to Her Majesty the Queen.
In his acceptance speech for Best Actor, Butler paid tribute to his fellow nominees - Mescal, Colin Farrell, Bill Nighy, Daryl McCormack and Brendan Fraser. He also said he hoped he had made the Presley family “proud” with his portrayal of the late star.
Elvis won four awards in total - including Casting, Costume Design and Make Up and Hair to add to Butler’s Best Actor.
The Bafta Rising Star, the only award voted for by the public, was awarded to Emma Mackey - who looked shocked as she accepted the honour admitting she “hasn’t prepared” a speech.
Blanchett won Best Actress - beating Emma Thompson, Viola Davis, Danielle Deadwyler, Ana de Armas and Michelle Yeoh. She said it had been an “extraordinary” year for women actors while collecting her gong. The star, who won for her role in Tar, said the film has “changed her life.”
She added: “It’s been such an extraordinary year for women, as you’ve seen in those clips, all of my fellow nominees, the conversation with all of you off the screen and on the screen has been nothing short of remarkable and we know that we’re just the tip of the iceberg.”
Best Film was given to war epic All Quiet on the Western Front - one of the biggest winners of the night with seven awards in total including Film and Best Director.
