Paul Mescal’s Award Season Buzz: Best Supporting Actor for "Hamnet"
This award season, Paul Mescal is generating excitement for his remarkable performance as playwright William Shakespeare in Chloe Zhao’s highly praised film, Hamnet. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mescal will be campaigning for Best Supporting Actor rather than Best Actor honors. This decision comes after much speculation, especially considering Mescal was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars in 2023 for his role in Aftersun.
Hamnet beautifully explores the themes of love and loss experienced by William and Agnes Shakespeare. Interestingly, Agnes, portrayed by Jessie Buckley—who is a strong contender for the Best Actress Oscar—has more screen time than her renowned husband. In fact, Mescal’s character appears for 44 minutes and 57 seconds, accounting for 36% of the film’s total runtime, while Buckley’s Agnes is on screen for 63 minutes and 49 seconds, or 51% of the film. This leads to the intriguing perspective that Mescal’s role is more of a supporting one, enhancing Buckley’s performance.
The narrative further illustrates Agnes’ struggles with William being away in London for extended periods, leaving her to manage family challenges alone. While this could have played a role in defining Mescal’s category for awards consideration, it is also noteworthy that the talented 29-year-old is the lead in another acclaimed film, Mubi’s The History of Sound. Opting for a supporting role in Hamnet helps avoid splitting the votes among his supporters.
Hamnet premiered to rave reviews at the Telluride Film Festival, quickly becoming the talk of the event. It later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the coveted People’s Choice Award—often a precursor to Oscar success. The film will continue to tour various regional film festivals before Focus Features releases it in select theaters on November 27, followed by a wider release on December 12.
Stay tuned as Paul Mescal’s captivating performance in Hamnet makes waves this awards season, and see how the film’s compelling story resonates with audiences and critics alike!
