Paul Mescal has said the hostile response to his 2023 science-fiction drama Foe was unexpected and personally painful. Speaking about the film’s reception, the actor said criticism “stings a bit”, highlighting the gap between the creative intentions of those involved and the reaction from reviewers and audiences.

Foe, directed by Garth Davis and adapted from Iain Reid’s novel, starred Mescal alongside Saoirse Ronan as a married couple confronting isolation, technology and uncertainty in a near-future setting. Despite its high-profile cast and literary source material, the film received largely negative reviews after its release, making it a notable disappointment in Mescal’s otherwise rapidly rising screen career.