The guerilla competition took its inspiration from a recent Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest that was staged in New York and descended into mayhem when the Willy Wonka star himself showed up, with one man being arrested.
The Mescal competition was held on Thursday afternoon on Dublin’s Smithfield Square near the Light House Cinema, where the premiere will take place this evening of Gladiator II, the Kildare star’s biggest role to date.
It attracted a handful of enthusiastic contestants, whose looks were inspired by Mescal himself in various roles and while he has been off duty.
Despite its big turnaround, the atmosphere was laid back and enjoyable as lookalikes traded notes on their costumes as fans looked on.
Jack Wall O’Reilly – ‘Middle Aisle Mescal’ – won the €20 prize
The winner, ‘Earbuds Mescal’ – Jack Wall O’Reilly – chose to recite a line read by Connell Waldron, Mescal’s breakthrough role in romantic TV drama Normal People.
The winner spoke the words: “You look really well” – a line from Connell when he sees Marianne at Trinity. It drew an “awww” from the crowd and it was clear he was the winner from then on. The voice was uncanny.
The crowd’s response was unanimous in crowning him the winner, and awarding him the grand prize – a giant cheque for €20. Although the ‘cheque’ bore the Lidl logo, the German supermarket discounter was not associated with the competition.
Mr Wall O’Reilly told the Irish Independent he didn’t do much in the competition apart from winning “the genetic Paul Mescal lottery”.
“I’m very proud, it’s been a good buzz,” he added.
“I think it’s good to have events like these as people are having a rough time. I don’t think anyone would have given the Timothee Chalamet one airtime if we weren’t all a bit miserable.”
‘Tall Mescal’ – Emmett Heneghan
Asked about what he’d do with his €20 prize money he said: “I don’t know. I’m not working at the moment so I might keep this in the back pocket or I’ll go do a Lidl shop if they allow this big a cheque in self checkout.”
And as he was in Smithfield, he said he would try to catch a glimpse of his hero.
“I’ll try and see Paul at the premiere tonight,” Mr Wall O’Reilly said. “I hope he’s doing alright, he’s got a very busy schedule. I’d love to sit down and have a coffee or a pint with him. Good luck for Gladiator II!”
One of the runners-up, known as ‘Casual Paul’ said he decided to enter today after going for a coffee in the area.
Contestants including winner Jack Wall O’Reilly (right) in Smithfield Square, Liam Furness ‘Casual Mescal’ (centre), and ‘Denny’s Mescal’ (left)
“I’d been called Paul by family members and friends and even people on nights out,” said Liam Furness (25) from New Ross, Co Wexford.
“So, when this came up my friends and family told me I had to do it. I didn’t want to let them down.
“It was very stiff competition. I came for a bit of fun and good craic so it was very enjoyable. It’s not something you’d see all the time, especially in Ireland. Maybe I’ll tell my children about it someday.
“In Ireland, it’s rare to see things like that and to have a celebrity of that calibre to compare ourselves to and to have as a role model is great. I’ve seen Normal People but I don’t know Paul Mescal’s story that much but as a fellow Irishman I Iook up to him a little bit”.
Mr Furness chose the line from Normal People: “I don’t believe in God, but I sometimes think he made you for me.”
An entrant known as ‘Gurriers Paul’ went for Mescal’s BAFTAs speech: “I’m so nervous and I’m so anxious and I want to thank my mam and thank you everybody.”
‘Tall Paul’ – Emmett Heneghan – went for Normal People with: “No, you were always pretty, very pretty.”
‘Denny’s Paul’ chose a line from the Denny sausages ad in which Mescal appeared.
Mescal is noted for turning GAA shorts into a must-have fashion item, wearing them both on screen and being pictured out and about in the attire.
Brand representatives for sportswear company O’Neills said they would be giving a few pairs of the iconic shorts worn by Mescal in Normal People to the most convincing doppelganger on the scene.
Mescal fans Karen McEnany from Bray, Co Wicklow, and Ali Saint Kavage from California, said they thought the event was originally fake but decided to take a look for the fun of it.
“There was a poster up for this near Wicklow Street and we’d heard about the Timothee Chalamet one so we thought it would be funny,” they said.
“It’s crazy, there’s actually a lot of people here. It’s really fun to get people together to also celebrate the film and Irish arts as well.”
The event gained traction after its TikTok account @paulmescallookalike posted about the event and organisers hung posters across Dublin.
One of the organisers and host of the pop-up event, DJ and restaurateur Marcus O’Laoire, said the event was inspired by the amount of love that exists for Mescal at the moment.
“It capitalises off something that is in the zeitgeist and the fact that he represents Ireland so well. It’s not just potatoes and pints and it’s also short shorts and strength,” he said.
“It’s incredible,” he added.
“If you look at some other representatives of Ireland on the world stage, I’d choose Paul Mescal over anyone really. This event shows that the Mescal Mindset is a state of mind.”
Contestants were invited to pose in front of the crowds and recite a line from some of Mescal’s most iconic roles.
Unlike Chalamet, Mescal did not attend the competition or indicate that he knew it was occurring.
However, he was in Dublin on Thursday for the premiere in Smithfield’s Light House Cinema of the Ridley Scott-directed Gladiator II, in which he is taking the lead role, with Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn also starring.
