So, Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams are apparently a thing now.
Photos published by the Daily Mail seemed to show the Normal People star holding hands with the American indie-pop darling. Now, reports are coming out of the woodwork to reveal the nature of their alleged relationship.
While the two have yet to publicly acknowledge the media firestorm they inadvertently kicked up, it’s unlikely we will hear much directly from them. Mescal talked about his desire to keep his personal life out of the public limelight in an interview for Harper’s Bazaar’s September 2023 cover story.
“If I’m going to make TV shows like Normal People, there’s going to be an appetite from the world,” the Irish actor said of the intense public scrutiny on his dating life. “Eighty percent of that is palatable. And then 20 percent of it is devastating.” Still, he noted, “The feeling of being in a relationship and being in love, to me, sometimes can feel quite like a horse with blinders on. That’s such a wonderful feeling.”
Ahead, we map out everything we know so far about Mescal and Abrams’s romance, from early fan-fueled dating theories to insider knowledge of their current status.
October 21, 2024: They spend time together in New York City.
New photos (which you can see here) show the couple hanging out together in New York City. They each wore casual, relaxed outfits, with Mescal in a black long-sleeved top, olive green straight-leg pants, and Adidas Samba sneakers. Meanwhile, Abrams wears a navy blue knit sweater, baggy blue pants, and black flats.
October 20, 2024: Paul supports Gracie at the Eras Tour.
Mescal is spotted in the crowd at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Miami, supporting Abrams as she performs the opening act.
In photos on X, Mescal could be seen chatting to fellow concertgoers from the VIP tent.
September 3, 2024: They hold hands in London.
Mescal and Abrams are seen holding hands and strolling together in London. They both wear casual outfits: Mescal in a Guns N’ Roses T-shirt, khaki pants, and Adidas sneakers; and the indie singer in a navy blue baseball cap, a black tank top, and slouchy black pants.
August 19, 2024: A source says they’re still in the “early stages” of dating.
An insider talks to People about where Mescal and Abrams currently stand. “They’ve been hooking up and it’s still early stages,” the source says.
August 18, 2024: Photos of Paul and Gracie hanging out in London emerge.
The Daily Mail publishes photos of Mescal and Abrams seemingly holding hands while hanging out in London. A witness claims to have seen the pair “kissing a lot.”
July 22, 2024: Paul and Gracie go shopping.
The Daily Mail publishes photos of Mescal and Abrams shopping in London’s Mayfair area, with the two reportedly having been seen in the same location just moments apart.
At the time, a source talks to The Sun about their low-key outing. “Paul and Gracie looked like any other young couple hitting the shops, and they went almost unnoticed,” the insider says. “They seemed very relaxed in each other’s company and were busy checking out the posh shops on Bond Street.”
They add, “Paul is a very low-key person, as is Gracie, so there was no fanfare and they kept their distance from each other when they were out on the street.”
June 30, 2024: Paul and Gracie go on a date.
TMZ publishes photos of the two seemingly on a date at a restaurant in London. In one photo, Mescal appears to reach out to touch Abrams’s face.
June 2024: Fans speculate that Paul and Gracie used to date.
After the release of her second studio album, The Secret of Us, some of Abrams’s fans share theories on why they believe Abrams and Mescal may have had a fling, citing certain lyrics off of the new record.
In particular, the song “Normal Thing” references Abrams’s heartbreak over an actor. Fans also note that the title and lyrics seemingly include a reference to Mescal’s breakout role in Hulu’s series Normal People: “It’s a normal thing to fall in love with movie stars / When the lights are low, and red at all their favorite bars / And the story you want is the story you get / Are you special or was this all scripted in his head?”
