Paul Mescal says the Oscar nomination is “absurd” and has caused delays because his mother is battling cancer

Paul Mescal announced his Oscar nomination for After sun was an “absurd” moment in his life, but it brought welcome relief to his family at a difficult time.

In his first interview since being nominated for best actor, the Irish star told BBC Radio 4 Today showing that he was still processing the achievement.

“It’s all a bit overwhelming, especially for my family, because I don’t think anyone or even I expected it,” he said. “I always knew I was willing to work hard, but when the nominations and the BAFTAs came out the week before, something felt a bit absurd.”

He added: “[There is] Things happening at home that are difficult and have been a very welcome change for my family. And yes, we are going to have a good time as a family. They all come to LA.”

Mescal’s sister, Nell Mescal, announced on the day he was nominated for an Oscar that her mother was undergoing treatment for bone marrow cancer. “My mother had her hair cut today to prepare for her chemotherapy and then Paul was nominated for an Oscar. Life is so crazy,” she tweeted.

“The universe works in very interesting ways,” Mescal told the BBC.

The 27-year-old joked that despite the Oscars he would never escape a sausage commercial he filmed in Ireland before his breakthrough role normal people. Mescal starred in the Denny commercial and is often reminded of it by his compatriots.

“It’s a bit of folklore in Ireland now. If I ever feel like I’m getting too big for my boots, it appears somewhere, let’s not forget that I promoted sausages when I came out of drama school,” he said.

“It’s also just a funny joke. I studied drama school for three years, took it so seriously. It was like loving my job and then I was poor. I didn’t have any money and then my agent said, “I don’t know how you handle this, but we have a sausage ad that you can take off.” I thought absolutely. I have to pay my rent.”