“Stop Comparing Every Gay Love Story to ‘Brokeback Mountain’—Paul Mescal Has Had Enough”

At Cannes, the rising star opens up about nuanced storytelling, male vulnerability, and why labels are holding cinema back.

At the 78th Cannes Film Festival, Irish actor Paul Mescal stirred conversation during a press conference for his new film The History of Sound. The actor didn’t hold back when addressing media comparisons between his film and Ang Lee’s acclaimed 2005 romance Brokeback Mountain, calling the linkage "lazy and frustrating."

"Brokeback Mountain is a beautiful film, but it deals with the idea of repression," Mescal said. "This film is fundamentally pointed in the opposite direction."

Directed by Oliver Hermanus and co-starring Josh O’Connor, The History of Sound follows two musicians—Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor)—as they travel across New England in the summer of 1919 to record the folk songs of their rural countrymen. Along the way, their bond deepens into a romantic relationship that unfolds without the repressed longing or hidden shame typical of earlier LGBTQ+ dramas.

Rewriting the Male Lead: From Alpha to Authentic

Mescal also spoke candidly about the shifting nature of masculinity in modern cinema. "It’s ever shifting," he said. "I think maybe in cinema we’re moving away from the traditional, alpha, leading male characters."

He explained that The History of Sound doesn’t aim to redefine masculinity so much as to explore it through the specific and intimate relationship between Lionel and David. Rather than pushing a broad agenda, the film focuses on character-driven authenticity—an approach gaining traction in contemporary storytelling.

This sentiment mirrors a larger Cannes 2025 trend, where actors like Pedro Pascal, Josh O’Connor, and Barry Keoghan are embracing vulnerable, emotionally rich male characters, stepping away from stoic, hyper-masculine archetypes.

Oliver Hermanus Supports the Shift

Director Oliver Hermanus reinforced Mescal’s position, stating that superficial comparisons to Brokeback Mountainoverlook the unique narrative and emotional framework of his film.

"We made a film that is trying to explore the quiet, musical, and ephemeral spaces between two people who love each other," Hermanus said. "To reduce that to another gay cowboy story is a disservice."

He emphasized that the movie is a love story first—one that happens to involve two men—and that pigeonholing it within an existing framework of queer cinema diminishes its nuance.

Critical Reception and Cultural Relevance

Though The History of Sound received mixed early reviews at Cannes, it has sparked significant discussion around the evolution of queer storytelling. Some critics appreciated its restraint and emotional subtlety, while others felt it lacked narrative propulsion. Still, Mescal’s performance has been widely praised for its depth and sincerity.

The actor’s rejection of the "alpha male" mold and his embrace of more nuanced characters signals a larger cultural shift—especially relevant in a year where festival films are openly challenging stereotypes tied to gender, sexuality, and identity.

Why This Matters Now

In 2025, when representation remains a battleground and cinematic tropes are under increasing scrutiny, Mescal’s commentary is more than a passing quote—it’s a statement about where storytelling is headed.

By resisting easy comparisons and advocating for fresh narratives, Paul Mescal and Oliver Hermanus are pushing the industry toward more authentic, varied, and emotionally honest cinema. Their film is not trying to be Brokeback Mountain2.0—it’s trying to be The History of Sound, a new chapter in how queer love stories are told.

As awards season looms and audiences demand richer, more inclusive stories, The History of Sound may well mark a turning point—not just for Mescal and O’Connor, but for how we define masculinity and love on screen.

Stay tuned to The Tipsy Critic for more real movie stories, no fluff.