Paul Mescal took on the “Chicken Shop Date” and declared he has “no flirting capacity” — but Us Weekly just doesn’t believe him.
Amelia Dimoldenberg has made a living by taking all of the internet’s boyfriends on dates to a London chicken shop, and Mescal’s episode was particularly delightful.
“You like the rugby though, I saw you getting very emotional,” Dimoldenberg, 29, told Mescal during their Friday, January 26, date, referring to the now-viral video of the Normal People star reacting to Ireland losing the Rugby World Cup in October 2023.
“I like it a bit too much,” Mescal said of the sport. Dimoldenberg, however, told him it was “cute,” which is where the flirting conversation came into play.
“It’s cute? Let’s just say we’re at a bar and I’m like — I have no flirting capacity — so I’m like, ‘Hey, you might think this is cute.’ And it’s a video of me weeping,” he hit back through laughter.
Mescal might think he has an inability to flirt, but the way he and Dimoldenberg interact throughout the video says otherwise.
“This is my date shirt,” Mescal said of his teal button-down — which most definitely brought out the blue in his eyes. He then confirmed that he has, in fact, worn it on a date in the past.
Later, debunking his own “bad at flirting” theory, Mescal admitted that he considers himself romantic.
“I would say yes but, I mean, romance is subjective right?” he said. “What’s romantic to one person isn’t romantic to another person.”
Mescal revealed that “a good long walk” is a romantic gesture he loves. “Simple pleasures, I’m a simple man,” he added. (Keeping this in mind if Us ever comes across Mescal for a walk down the red carpet.)
When it came to discussing his roles, Mescal agreed he is owning the “sexy sad” genre of film. “I like to manipulate the tears out of people with sexiness,” he said. (It’s also important to note that Mescal made a brief aside about his thighs during this interview.)
Further proving his own flirting theory wrong, Mescal offered Dimoldenberg a huge compliment — and also called her “cute.”
“It’s a good opportunity to say I think you’re brilliant at your job,” Mescal gushed. “You’re very good at your job. It’s an attractive quality in a human being.”
Here’s hoping Mescal one day offers the Us Weekly staff the same compliment.
