Daisy Edgar-Jones addresses viral photo with Paul Mescal in the background at 2022 Met Gala

Daisy Edgar-Jones has finally addressed a viral photo from the 2022 Met Gala, where her friend Paul Mescal was seen in the background.

The 26-year-old actor discussed the reactions to her appearance at the 2022 fashion extravaganza during an interview with Who What Wear, published on July 11. In an image of Edgar-Jones on the red carpet from two years ago, Mescal could be seen smiling in the background. While he was posing for a separate picture, with his then-girlfriend Phoebe Bridgers, fans were quick to assume that he was smiling at and paying attention to Edgar-Jones.

After the 2022 picture made headlines, fans compared Mescal to the “distracted boyfriend” meme, in which a man is eyeing at a woman passing by while next to his girlfriend.

Speaking to Who What Wear, Edgar-Jones confirmed that she’s seen the memes about her and Mescal, calling the reactions “wild, considering the innocence behind” the viral Met Gala picture. She then clarified what her and Mescal’s experience at the event actually was.

“I was having kind of an out-of-body experience with the Met Gala. So Paul had said: ‘Come and meet me and we could do it together,’” she explained. “We’re such good friends and it was such a cool thing to go together.”

However, Edgar-Jones said Mescal was “quite late” to the event, so she “was stood at the entrance of the Met Gala.” She then clarified that when posing for her photo, that’s when Mescal arrived and noticed her, which is why she thought he was smiling like that in the background.

“When you go, there’s this pen where you’re held and then you go to and do the carpet,” she said. “Finally, Paul came with Pheebs and we were waiting and did the carpet together. Honestly, he’s my pal so he’s probably just going ‘Hey, there she is.’”

Edgar-Jones then quipped about the picture of herself on the red carpet and why she didn’t like it. “I had been in Covid for most of this time doing press on Zoom and this was one of the few times I’d actually been in person,” she added. “So I didn’t know how to pose on a red carpet so I think what’s most tragic about this really is the deep leg cross that I committed to in every photo.”

Mescal and Edgar-Jones portrayed clandestine lovers Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan, respectively, in the 2020 Hulu adaptation of Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel, Normal People. Despite previous speculation that they’re a couple, the pair have continued to make it clear that they’re just good friends.

During an interview with Variety earlier this month, Edgar-Jones reflected on working on the Hulu show, while noting that her co-star, Mescal, is one of her “lifetime best friends.”

“He’s an incredibly grounded person and I am too, I think, so it’s nice to be able to have those touchstones and those people you can laugh about it with and be lighthearted with,” she said. “We met when I was 20 and Paul was 22; I’m so excited to see where we’ll be at 32, 42, and what life will bring us.”

During an appearance at the Fastnet Film Festival with Mescal in May, she once again expressed her gratitude for the hit show and her friendship with her colleague. “Met Paul, fell in love with Paul... as a friend. I’m announcing it here,” the Twisters star said. “We couldn’t really believe our luck. It felt like a group of friends having a go at making something they just adore.”

In May, the pair also shared a series of photos together on social media, leading fans to believe that they were working on season two of their beloved show. However, Mescal and Edgar-Jones later revealed that wasn’t the case, before sharing that they were holding a charity raffle for a chance to win tickets to a screening of Normal People, which took place on June 12.

“Hello,” Mescal began. “The news is – and we are incredibly sorry if we led people on, it’s not a season two.” Edgar-Jones then interrupted, adding: “Not yet! There’s still time; keep the faith.”