It is undoubtedly her most straightforward role to date, but despite all its success, Daisy Edgar-Jones says that Normal People remains the most satisfying role of her career.
Normal People, a 12-part adaptation of Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel, became an overnight hit, making household names of then-unknowns Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal in the process, following its release in 2020.
Premiering while the UK was stuck in the deep freeze of a national lockdown, the series followed the lives of Irish teenagers in love Marianne Sheridan and Connor Waldren and their emotionally fraught, on-again, off-again relationship.
Reflecting on what ultimately proved to be a breakthrough role, Edgar-Jones, 26, admits that Marianne still casts a long shadow over her career, despite much of it being spent on big-budget Hollywood productions.
“I’m still known for Normal People,” she said. The culture of the times magazine. ‘It meant a lot to people and a lot to me too.’
In its own right it is her most straightforward role to date, but for all her subsequent success, Daisy Edgar-Jones says Normal People remains the most satisfying work of her career.
The actress shot to fame in 2020 in just 12 episodes when BBC Three’s adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel hit screens (Paul and Daisy pictured in the programme).
She added: “I feel 100 percent spoiled by Normal People. If you could sum up my ideal role, my world, my filmmaker, my writer, I would have it all.
“In any career you get some jobs that are truly magical and, yes, then you go looking for that feeling again. It’s hard to top it.”
The actress is currently promoting Twisters, a high-octane disaster film co-starring former Mad Men actress Kiernan Shipka and Glen Powell.
With its glossy Hollywood sheen and no-expense-spared CGI effects, it’s a far cry from her television debut as Olivia, the teenage daughter of David and Karen Marsden, in ITV drama Cold Feet – a role she took on while she was sitting her A-levels in real life.
“I never imagined it,” he said of his upward career path. “I come from Cold Feet.”
She added: “I just wanted to work, whatever way I could. I wanted to do theatre, but the goal was to get a job.”
The actress remains close friends with Mescal, 28, whose career has only gone from strength to strength since Normal People.
In a new interview with Variety, Edgar-Jones admits that his former co-star, who is currently preparing for the role of a lifetime in Gladiator II, is one of his “best, lifelong friends.”
She said: ‘He’s an incredibly down-to-earth person and I am too, I think, so it’s nice to be able to have those role models and those people you can laugh with and be light-hearted with.
The actress is currently promoting Twisters, a high-octane disaster film co-starring former Mad Men actress Kiernan Shipka and Glen Powell.
Normal People, a 12-part adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel, became an overnight hit, making Edgar-Jones and Mescal household names.
‘We met when I was 20 and Paul was 22, and I’m really excited to see where we’ll be at 32, 42 and what life will bring.’
In May, the couple apologized for “misleading people” after cryptically posting that they had “news to share.”
Many fans of the BBC show assumed a second series would be announced soon, however it has now been confirmed that the two will not be reunited on screen, leaving many devastated.
Instead, the former co-stars revealed their surprise was that they would be hosting a marathon screening of the first season of Normal People to raise money for Unicef and suicide prevention charity Pieta.
The actress remains close friends with Mescal, whose career has taken off since Normal People. (Pictured together at Glastonbury Festival last month)
In May, the couple apologized for “misleading people” after cryptically posting that they had “news to share”; the prom sparked speculation that it could be a second season of Normal People.
