Normal People’s Paul Mescal Says He Felt ‘Objectified’ by Fans of the Sexy Hulu Show

Normal People's Paul Mescal says the popularity surrounding the show has left him feeling "objectified."

"I felt objectified after Normal People," Mescal, 24, said in an interview with Elle magazine UK. The breakout star explained, however, that he's not surprised by the hysteria considering the nature of his role.

As fans of the steamy Hulu drama know, Normal People , which is based on Sally Rooney's bestselling novel, is loaded with sex scenes as it intimately follows the complicated romance between Mescal's Connell and Daisy Edgar-Jones' Marianne.

"It's to be expected, given the intimacy of my scenes, but it doesn't make it easier," Mescal told Elle, adding that he's received some "intense DMs" that he chooses not to read.

Nonetheless, Mescal admitted the craze is "not enough to put me off the industry." And he's grateful for the role, which earned him his first-ever Emmy nomination.

In the Irish drama, Marianne is a highly  intelligent outsider from a wealthy family, while Connell is a shy jock, part of the popular crowd, and his mother happens to clean Marianne's family's home. Their attraction is undeniable and sets in motion a many years-long affair that changes them both forever.

Back in April, PEOPLE caught up with Edgar-Jones, 22, and Mescal about their easy onscreen connection.

RELATED: Inside Normal People's 'Incredibly Intimate' Scenes with Stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones

"I felt totally empowered and safe throughout the whole process," Mescal said. "I think that is the key to getting sex scenes right onscreen. Because ultimately if me and Daisy felt insecure, and don’t get me wrong, they are difficult things to film, there’s an unnatural elements to them, but ultimately, when the process makes you feel safe and creative and open, it’s a gonna make the sex scenes better, and I think it’s important to represent sex accurately onscreen."

"We knew going into it that it was going to be part of the process because it's a big part of the book, and it was important to do those scenes justice," Edgar-Jones added.

Of their immediate chemistry, Mescal shared: "I think there was a very easy connection between us. We have very similar senses of humor and I think fundamentally enjoy each other's company."

Edgar-Jones echoed similar sentiments, saying: "I completely agree. We really laugh now because that day when we first met, I was, to use the right word, I was cacking it, would probably be the word I’d use, because I hadn’t been cast obviously and didn’t believe that I would have been. When you’re offered that kind of opportunity it’s like, "Oh God." I really wanted it obviously. Paul was really nice, he came and had a chat with me. I don’t think I said anything in English."

"We got cast and we were lucky we had two weeks rehearsals beforehand. It was really funny, we laugh now but we were really polite with each other and very serious when we were first chatting, just because it’s a strange thing, and within the first week of filming we were both cracking up over the stupidest things. I think we have a very similar sense of humor, which is really good," she added.

Normal People is now streaming on Hulu.

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