Paul Mescal’s girlfriend is Gracie Abrams. The Irish actor and the American singer-songwriter have been dating since 2024 and made their relationship red carpet official at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London . Their romance has evolved from quiet dinner sightings to a public partnership that balances professional ambition with a carefully guarded private life.
Who Is Gracie Abrams?
Gracie Abrams is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and the daughter of director J.J. Abrams . She released her sophomore album, The Secret of Us, in June 2024, which became her first number one album in the UK, Australia, and the Netherlands . The record also reached number two on the Billboard 200 in the United States . Abrams opened for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour during 2024, a career milestone that coincided with the early months of her relationship with Mescal .
How Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams Met
Romance rumors began in June 2024 when photographs emerged of Mescal and Abrams having dinner at BRAT restaurant in London . In one widely circulated image, Mescal reached across the table to touch Abrams’ face . At the time, a source told People the relationship was in its early stages, describing them as having “been hooking up” while noting it was “still early stages” .
By August 2024, the pair were photographed holding hands during a shopping trip in London before attending the All Points East Music Festival together . They were joined by Mescal’s Normal People co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones and her partner .
Relationship Timeline
October 2024 marked a significant moment of public support. Mescal attended Abrams’ performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where fans spotted him dancing and singing along to her set . That same month, a source told People the couple were “going strong” . By November 2024, another source described them as “the real deal,” adding that they were “at the top of their game and always in communication” .
The couple reached a new level of openness in July 2025 when Abrams shared a photo on Instagram of herself and Mescal at Glastonbury Festival . The image showed Abrams on Mescal’s shoulders, effectively confirming their relationship on social media . In February 2026, Abrams posted a birthday tribute to Mescal on Instagram, writing, “My whole heart!!!!!!!!!! I love February 2,” along with multiple heart emojis .Quick Bio: Gracie Abrams
Note: Net worth figures for Gracie Abrams are not available from verified, authoritative sources. Some outlets have estimated her father J.J. Abrams’ wealth, but that is a separate matter and not her personal net worth.
Making It Red Carpet Official
On February 22, 2026, Mescal and Abrams walked the red carpet together for the first time at the BAFTA Film Awards at London’s Royal Festival Hall . Mescal was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of William Shakespeare in Hamnet . Abrams wore a black gown with floral designs, while Mescal opted for a black jacket and trousers with a white dress shirt . The couple posed arm-in-arm and Abrams was photographed kissing Mescal on the cheek .
The BAFTA appearance came approximately one month after the couple were photographed holding hands at a Golden Globes afterparty at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles . Hamnet won Best Motion Picture (Drama) at that ceremony, and Mescal’s co-star Jessie Buckley won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture Drama .
Keeping the Relationship Private
Despite their increasing public appearances, Mescal has consistently emphasized his desire to protect his personal life. In a September 2025 interview with Rolling Stone, he addressed why he and Abrams had been reluctant to discuss their relationship publicly . “I actually do have an answer, but everything to do with that is deeply precious to me and I don’t want to,” Mescal said. “I want to protect those things fundamentally” .
Mescal had previously articulated a similar philosophy in a November 2024 GQ interview, explaining that he had “learned that there’s certain lines in the sand now for me that just are going to be impenetrable for the benefit of my own sanity” . He added, “The speculation has been kind of mad for the last x amount of years. I’m not comfortable inviting any access into that part of my life” .
Abrams has echoed this sentiment. In a February 2025 Cosmopolitan interview, she described what she values in a healthy relationship without naming Mescal directly. “What I love about a healthy relationship is that your life doesn’t radically change,” she said. “You just fit into each other in a way that feels positively challenging and deeply supportive, it’s like a place to land” .
Paul Mescal’s Previous Relationship
Before his relationship with Abrams, Mescal dated musician Phoebe Bridgers from 2020 to 2022 . The two connected after Bridgers tweeted about watching Normal People, and Mescal responded . They made their red carpet debut at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in November 2021 and attended the Met Gala together in May 2022 . By late 2022, speculation about a split emerged, and the relationship was widely believed to have ended in early 2023 .
In August 2026, Bridgers released an album titled Lost Weekend containing lyrics that fans interpreted as references to her past relationship with Mescal. On the title track, she sings, “I’m supposed to be married but I called it off” . Neither Mescal nor Bridgers has publicly confirmed these interpretations.
What’s Next for the Couple
As of September 2026, Mescal and Abrams remain together, having navigated nearly two years of a relationship that began in private and gradually moved into public view . Mescal, who turned 30 in February 2026, has expressed a desire to have a family in the future . “I would love to have a family,” he told Rolling Stone. “I’m not like, ‘I want them tomorrow,’ but I would love to have kids” .
Abrams has pushed back against suggestions that her relationship has negatively affected her creative output. In an August 2026 interview, she said the relationship has given her confidence to explore new musical territory . “It’s had the most amazing effect on my writing,” she said .
For now, the couple appears content to balance public moments like the BAFTAs with the privacy Mescal has consistently said he values. Their trajectory from a quiet London dinner to a shared red carpet reflects a modern celebrity romance defined by deliberate pacing rather than sudden exposure.Paul Mescal’s girlfriend is Gracie Abrams, the American singer-songwriter he has been dating since 2024. They made their relationship red carpet official at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London.
When did Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams start dating?
They were first linked in June 2024 after being photographed having dinner at BRAT restaurant in London. By November 2024, a source told People they were “the real deal” and “always in communication”.
Who is Gracie Abrams?
Abrams is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and the daughter of director J.J. Abrams. Her 2024 album The Secret of Us reached number one in the UK and number two on the Billboard 200. She also opened for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour.
When did they make their relationship Instagram official?
Abrams confirmed the relationship in July 2025 by sharing photos from Glastonbury Festival, including one of her sitting on Mescal’s shoulders during Olivia Rodrigo’s set.
Why does Paul Mescal keep his relationship private?
Mescal has said his relationship is “deeply precious” and he wants to “protect those things fundamentally”. In a 2024 GQ interview, he explained he is not comfortable inviting public access into his private life.
