Paul Mescal Says His Salt-and-Pepper Hair Is ‘Not New’ (Exclusive)

Paul Mescal is embracing his grays.

At The History of Sound premiere in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 2, the actor, 29, set the record straight about his “new” salt-and-pepper look.

“It’s not new. It’s been here for a while,” he told PEOPLE exclusively.

Mescal explained that he often dyes his hair for roles such as his portrayal of William Shakespeare in his upcoming film Hamnet.

“I’ve always liked it… I’ve had salt and pepper hair since I was, like, 18,” he said. “It’s been just covered for a lot of the time.”

Earlier this summer, the Normal People actor was spotted with noticeable grays while attending the Wimbledon final in London. During the men’s championship match between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on July 13, he was seated next to his All of Us Strangers costar Andrew Scott, as well as Keira Knightley.

Mescal opted for a navy blue suit with a striped shirt, both by Carter Young, and a colorful printed tie. He also wore a black leather watch and a pair of black sunglasses.

The star had slowly been letting his grays come in for a few months. At the Cannes Film Festival in May, he appeared on the red carpet for the premiere of The History of Sound in a simple all-black look and a few of his silver strands showing through.

He also sported a subtle salt-and-pepper look while spending time with his girlfriend, Gracie Abrams, at the Glastonbury Festival.

At the N.Y.C. premiere of The History of Sound, Mescal opened up about choosing queer roles. In the film, the actor plays Lionel Worthing, a talented singer from rural Kentucky who leaves his family farm to attend the Boston Music Conservatory. There he meets student David White (played by Josh O’Connor) and the pair develop an intimate relationship, per a synopsis.

“I think I’m drawn to characters regardless of their sexuality,” Mescal shared. “I think, like, I’m learning more and more as I kind of do this job that, unless I have something to say about who these people are, unless I fundamentally know or have a distinct opinion about them, I won’t do it.”

“I love Lionel,” he said of his character in the film. “He’s the longest I’ve lived with any character. I’ve waited five years to get to play him, and I’m so grateful that I did. I think he’s an extraordinary man.”

Mescal shared that acting with his close friend O’Connor, 35, as lovers in the film “didn’t make things awkward” and described filming together as a “fun” summer camp-like experience.

“I think because the subject matter is generally quite heavy. Josh and I, for whatever reason it was, just kind of rallied against that as much as we could,” he said. “It was pretty light offset. It’s like one of the best jobs in the world. When you get paired with a friend of yours already that you admire so much … it’s kind of like a summer camp, getting to hang out with your friend … So it was fun.”