The 2026 BAFTA Awards were all about celebrating cinema and fashion, but Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams’ red carpet debut stole the spotlight. After months of being photographed by the paparazzi in passing, the couple stepped onto the red carpet together for the first time on February 22, outside London’s Royal Festival Hall.
There, Mescal kept an arm around Abrams’ waist as they posed while she stayed close at his side. In one of the night’s sweetest moments, Abrams leaned in and kissed Mescal on the cheek while he smiled for the cameras — a beautiful moment to mark their official red carpet debut as a couple.
Paul Mescal & Gracie Abrams’ BAFTAs debut, big night for Mescal
Besides the showstopping red carpet debut with Gracie Abrams at the 2026 BAFTA Awards, Paul Mescal earned a best supporting actor nomination for his role as William Shakespeare in Hamnet, which put him in the spotlight on a night where the best in the industry showed up. Though Sean Penn won the award for One Battle After Another, Mescal’s chemistry with Abrams won the crowd.
For the event, Abrams wore a fitted black gown from the Chanel 2026 Métiers d'Art collection. It featured floral embroidery across the fabric, and up close, the dress showed off rich color in the stitching along with a beaded trim that framed the neckline. The singer-songwriter wore her hair slicked back, finishing the look with diamond drop earrings.
On the other hand, Mescal wore a black Prada suit with a white dress shirt left open at the collar. He did not accessorize much and yet looked stylish enough for the high-profile event.
Early dating rumors & mutual support
Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams have been linked since the summer of 2024, when they were first spotted together in London — and as the sightings continued, the pair kept their relationship private even while showing up for each other’s big moments.
When it comes to privacy, Mescal has discussed his desire to keep the private parts of his life protected. In a Rolling Stone interview in September, he answered questions related to Abrams, saying, “I actually do have an answer, but everything to do with that is deeply precious to me,” adding, “I want to protect those things fundamentally.”
Sources on where they stand now
Recently, PEOPLE reported that a source described the pair as “deeply in love.” Another PEOPLE source claimed that Abrams has been helping Mescal as he prepares to play Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ Beatles film project. Additionally, in April last year, a source told PEOPLE, “Despite their busy schedules, the couple is making each other a priority. There’s no denying the strong chemistry between Paul and Gracie, true lovebirds.”
The 2026 BAFTA Awards were like a decision Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams made to walk in and pose together, letting their chemistry speak for them. While the night was still about Hamnet and Mescal’s nomination, Abrams was just there to support him through it.
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