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Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal
Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy + Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Gucci
Culture > Entertainment

Hold Up, Are Gracie Abrams & Paul Mescal Dating?!

Updated Published

Is a new celeb boyfriend going to start making appearances at the Eras Tour because it seems as though singer Gracie Abrams may be taking a “Risk” on Normal People actor Paul Mescal. 

On June 30, TMZ released photos of Abrams and Mescal on a what looked to be a date at BRAT Restaurant in London. The pictures were taken by an eyewitness at the restaurant and show the couple deep in conversation as they dined on several small plates of food to share. One pic even shows Mescal brushing Abrams’ cheek, so yeah, I’m officially swooning over these two.

So far, a romance between Abrams and Mescal hasn’t been confirmed but with these photos now circulating through the internet, many are convinced something is going on between these two and TBH, the singer and actor would make such a cute couple.

Abrams has risen to fame since opening for Taylor Swift on her record-breaking Eras Tour. Abrams also released her sophomore album, The Secret of Us, on June 21, including the song “us.” featuring Swift. Following the release of The Secret of Us, many questioned whether Abrams was referring to Mescal in some songs, even before these TMZ images debuted. 

DeuxMoi, an Instagram account known for publishing the latest celeb gossip, reported rumors of Mescal breaking Abrams’ heart in late 2023. An anonymous source pointed out potential easter eggs in Abrams’ latest album, saying, “Normal thing? Normal people? Falling in love with someone in London with too much baggage? If the shoe fits.” The source referred to Abrams’ song “Normal Thing” which describes falling for a movie star. Many believe the title refers to Mescal’s beloved project, Normal People. 

Many speculate that Abrams fell hard for Mescal, but he couldn’t commit. In the song “Free Now” from The Secret of Us, she sings, “I was brave when I kissed you in London/ We’re collateral here, man, we got hit/ Hope you find somewhere safe for your baggage/ Every page that I wrote, you were on it.” Mescal has seemingly become a muse for The Secret of Us. The song reflects a difficult breakup and the difficulty of overcoming the other person’s baggage. The track, however, ends optimistically, leaving an opportunity for a possible rekindling. In the outro, Abrams sings, “If you find yourself out, if there is a right time/ Chances are I’ll be here, we could share a lifeline.” 

The pictures from June 30 of Abrams and Mescal could absolutely be a manifestation of these lyrics. 

Mescal is no stranger to dating rumors. He was previously linked to The Bear actress, Ayo Edebiri after a selfie of them was posted on her Instagram story in March on St. Patrick’s Day. After all, what says “Happy St. Patty’s Day!” like posting the Irish heartthrob himself? 

But in spite of being caught in dating rumors, Mescal prioritizes privacy, especially following his public breakup with Phoebe Bridgers in 2022.

As a professional Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal fangirl, I am so here for this couple. Paul, please inspire some love songs for Gracie’s next album. We’ve waited long enough.

Amanda Brown is a current national writer for Her Campus, focusing largely on the Entertainment & Culture vertical. She was formerly the Summer 2024 Entertainment & Culture intern, writing about all things pop culture! Beyond Her Campus, Amanda is a sophomore Writing and Rhetoric major with an Honors Interdisciplinary Studies minor at James Madison University. Amanda is the Founder/President/Editorial Director of JMU's Spoon University chapter and the Junior Social Media Manager of JMU's Her Campus chapter. She is also a member of Gamma Phi Beta. In her free time, Amanda loves binge-watching reality TV (especially while drinking iced lattes) and going on long walks (ideally using it as a yap session or listening to music). Amanda loves reading romance novels while listening to Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams.