One of the smash hits of 2020 was Normal People, which catapulted its stars, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal to global fame. Both actors have continued to go from strength to strength with their respective careers with Daisy now fronting disaster movie Twisters, while Paul will be thrilling audiences in the long-awaited sequel to Gladiator.
The 26-year-old actress has had quite the career, but what do you know of the star? Join HELLO! as we chart Daisy's meteoric rise to fame from being born in Islington (sorry, she's not Irish!) to her debut roles in Cole Feet and Outnumbered.
Here's all you need to know about Daisy...
Early life
Despite her phenomenal Irish accent in Normal People, Daisy was actually born in Islington on 24 May 1998 and grew up in Muswell Hill. However, she does still have some connections, with her mum, Wendy, hailing from Ireland. "I am lucky that my mum is from the north of Ireland so that helped," Daisy reflected in an Instyle interview. "It is kind of like singing and I have been over to Ireland loads of time as a child so I had an understanding of the 'r' sound and the specifics of the accent and sensibilities."
© InstagramBoth of Daisy's parents, Philip and Wendy, have connections with the entertainment industry. Wendy was a drama editor before moving into real estate, while Philip serves as a director of Sky Arts and Sky's head of entertainment.
Acting always interested Daisy, and she first got bitten by the acting bug when she performed a play in Yr. 2 before going on to study at the National Youth Theatre.
Career
Daisy made her television debut when she was just 17, appearing in a Christmas special of Outnumbered; she then joined the cast of Cold Feet in a recurring role. Ahead of her big break in Normal People, Daisy had also appeared in Silent Witness, Gentleman Jack and had a main role in War of the Worlds as Emily Gresham. Since Normal People, the star has only had one other television role, leading Under the Banner of Heaven alongside Andrew Garfield.
© BBCOn the silver screen, Daisy has appeared in films like Pond Life and Fresh before taking the lead role as Kya Clark in Where the Crawdads Sing. The actress has also taken a leading role in Twisters and will appear in upcoming film, On Swift Horses, which is set in the wake of the Korean War.
It's not just the screen where Daisy has left a mark, as the star has also appeared in stage productions of The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Albion.
Dating life
Daisy first dated actor Tom Varey in 2018 after the pair met on the set of Pond Life. The pair supported each other through their careers, with Daisy even joking that he was "amazing" despite her raunchy scenes with co-star Paul Mescal. However, due to work commitments, the duo called time on their budding relationship in 2020.
© Dave BenettDaisy has since moved on with photographer Ben Seed, with the pair making their debut as a couple at the GQ Awards in November 2023. Daisy was linked with the ex-boyfriend of Anya Taylor-Joy in September 2023 when the pair were spotted together. The pair have kept most of their relationship out of the spotlight.
Bond with Paul Mescal
Daisy and Paul became incredibly close friends on the set of Normal People. Reflecting on their friendship, Daisy mused: "Paul and I's relationship is the polar opposite of Marianne and Connell's. They are quite serious - they do have a laugh together, but on the whole, they're quite deep and they speak about quite big subjects and they're quite soft.
© Instagram"And then Paul and I are polar opposites - I'm massively flappy and get the giggles very easily and we're very silly together. Our friendship is a wonderful thing and it's something I'll treasure forever. I feel so lucky to have met Paul."
The pair's on-screen chemistry even led to dating rumours, but Daisy put these to bed in an interview with the Sunday Times. "You watch with bemusement really, because it’s interesting to see what narratives people write in," she told the publication.
Home
Although Daisy has likely moved on from her old home, during the coronavirus lockdown, the star lived in a London flatshare with three other people. During self-isolation, they had spa sessions, pizza nights, games, and they all watched Normal People with celebratory bubbles.
© InstagramFollowing Normal People's success, Daisy reportedly paid £1 million for a home in London.
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