Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor ‘on fire’ in gay drama The History of Sound, says director

Olive Hermanus – director of gay historical romance The History of Sound – has said that Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor are “on fire” in the upcoming drama.

The World War Two-set The History of Sound may have only started filming last month, but it seems like the project’s lead actors (All of Us Strangers‘ Paul Mescal and God’s Own Country‘s Josh O’Connor) have already hit their stride.

Based on the Pushcart Prize-winning short story of the same name by Ben Shattuck, the romance (which was first announced in 2021) sees young soldiers Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor) navigate the military and their feelings for one another.

While speaking to Gay Times, director Oliver Hermanus have n update on the production and revealed that his leading men are “on fire” on set.

“I mean, they’re great friends and they get on. They love working together. This is their first time,” he said.

Continuing, he added that working on the film with the pair, “just feels right. Going to work with them feels right because they love and care about [The History of Sound].”

The plot synopsis for The History of Sound reads: “In this snatched, short-lived moment in their young lives, and while discovering the epic sweep of the US, both men are deeply changed.”

Hermanus has also recently directed the salacious (and unashamedly horny) period drama Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine.

Reviews have praised the TV series, which sees Mary (Moore) use her son (Galitzine) to gain favour in the royal court by any means necessary – and features many (many) queer sex scenes.

Speaking about these very scenes, Galitzine recently opened up about being “so proud” of them.

Speaking to Digital Spy, he said, “For George, it was really interesting because those scenes in France, we actually didn’t get around to shooting till the end of the schedule. And for me, that was always a really important part of George’s history that I needed to be filled in. I mean, it’s his genesis in a lot of ways.

“So, getting the casting of Jean right was really important – I think that relationship and the charisma that he has in sort of helping really tease the truth of George’s identity out of himself.”

Galitzine added that he was, “so proud of how those scenes turned out”.