Paul Mescal tried to keep a low profile in a cap and sunglasses on Saturday as he turned out to support his younger sister, singer Nell Mescal, at All Points East music festival in Victoria Park, east London.
The Normal People actor, 30, was spotted among the crowds as Nell, 23, took to the stage. He wore a green and white top with black jeans, and was seen enjoying a Bacardi cocktail in a can.
Nell performed in a purple top and sheer white skirt, delighting the crowd. She is building a music career of her own and has supported acts including Dermot Kennedy, Florence and the Machine and HAIM on tour.
She released her second EP, The Closest We'll Get, in October 2025, alongside headline tour dates across the UK and Ireland, where she is from. Zara Larsson, Djo and Lorde were also on the bill at the festival this weekend.
Phoebe Bridgers' new album
Paul's day out at the festival came shortly after his ex-girlfriend Phoebe Bridgers spoke about their romance and breakup through her upcoming third studio album, Lost Weekend. An early review of the record, published by The Guardian, revealed emotional lyrics about Mescal, along with an apparent swipe at his current girlfriend, Gracie Abrams.
Mescal ended his two-year relationship with four-time Grammy winner Bridgers, 32, in 2022. He began dating singer Gracie Abrams, 26, who has often described herself as a Bridgers superfan, in 2024.
Bridgers' new album, also dedicated to her difficult relationship with her late father, is said to contain numerous references to Mescal. The title track confirms the pair were engaged during their relationship, with the lyric: "I'm supposed to be married but I called it off."
A line in another track, The Governor's Waltz, has been read as a dig at Abrams: "She can pretend to be me. Since she took my place in my bed, on that stage."
Gracie Abrams' earlier lyrics
Fans have long compared the diary-style lyricism of Bridgers and Abrams. Back in 2024, Abrams referenced Mescal's ex on her own album, The Secret of Us, without naming names.
On the track Normal Thing, she sang: "When did you slip through my fingers, did I ever have you? Was I just a placeholder to fill the hole inside you? … Nothing left to say 'cause you're not over her, now, are you?" She also appeared to reference Bridgers on the song Risk, singing: "Know you had a girl, but it didn't work out. Know you bought a house, but you had to move out…"
Mescal and Bridgers' relationship
Mescal, who has said he was a fan of Bridgers' music before they met, began dating her in 2020, shortly after the BBC drama Normal People made him a household name. The couple split suddenly in 2022 after two years together. Weeks later, Bridgers fuelled romance rumours with comedian Bo Burnham, who she remains in a relationship with.
Mescal on settling down
Mescal spoke about wanting to start a family in a September 2025 interview with Rolling Stone. "I would love to have a family," he said. "I'm not like, 'I want them tomorrow,' but I would love to have kids."
He was more guarded when asked directly about his relationship with Abrams, saying he wanted to protect his private life. Asked whether there had been a specific moment when the couple decided to go public, he said: "I don't know how to answer that. I actually do have an answer, but everything to do with that is deeply precious to me and I don't want to.… This isn't … I don't really … umm … I want to protect those things fundamentally."
Mescal and Abrams going public
Abrams, the daughter of Star Wars director JJ Abrams, and Mescal made their first red carpet appearance together at the History of Sound premiere in May 2025. The pair were first linked a year earlier after being pictured on a date at BRAT Restaurant in London.
During their first summer together, the couple attended several UK festivals and were seen on low-key dates in London. In October 2024, Mescal showed his support for Abrams by attending her New York concert, where he was seen singing and dancing. A month later, Abrams returned the favour by walking the red carpet at Mescal's premiere for Gladiator 2.
Since May 2025, Abrams has been photographed several times wearing a band on her left ring finger, fuelling further speculation about the relationship. "The speculation has been kind of mad for the last x amount of years," Mescal told GQ last October. "I'm not comfortable inviting any access into that part of my life. How I am in my private life is so precious to me because I get very little of it, and it might be public interest, but it's not public-obligated information."
