Age: 30
male
Paul Colm Michael Mescal (/ˈmɛskəl/ MESS-kəl; born 2 February 1996) is an Irish actor. Born in Maynooth, he studied acting at The Lir Academy and then performed in plays in Dublin theatres. He rose to fame with his role in the miniseries Normal People (2020), earning a BAFTA TV Award and a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award. Mescal progressed to film acting with roles in the psychological dramas The Lost Daughter (2021) and God's Creatures (2022). His starring roles as a troubled father in Aftersun (2022) and a mysterious neighbour in All of Us Strangers (2023) earned him nominations for BAFTA Film Awards in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award for the former. He received a Laurence Olivier Award for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in a 2022 revival of the play A Streetcar Named Desire. Mescal expanded to big-budget films with a leading role in the historical action film Gladiator II (2024).
Nevena Nightfall is a cursed woman, locked in a tower since childhood with only one to cremate the dead. On Ranking Eve, she finally makes an escape. And makes her first enemy—Edric Silvan, an alluring stranger who aids her until she reveals her name. Forgotten and unnoticed, Nevena manages to compete for a Rank—and freedom. But when Edric sabotages her result, the Council appoints Nevena as Protector to the most dangerous town in Veligrad. Midnight Gate. Along with Edric. When Midnight Gate is repeatedly attacked by the Cursed Fae, Nevena undergoes a spell that connects her to Edric and their superior, the seemingly-charming Hartley, in exchange for a protective shield around the town. But as the spell unexpectedly draws Nevena to the man who hates her, she must fight desires lying beneath her hard exterior. And while the secrets of her bloodline spill out, Nevena is led to question who poses a greater threat—the Cursed Fae, or the Council of Veligrad?
