First, it was Connell's chain in Normal People. Then, came the O'Neill GAA shorts, paired with tins of cocktails in that first heady pandemic summer.

Now: we have Paul Mescal in thigh-high leather boots and short-shorts.

Yes, you read that correctly. Mescal has completed his transformation into bona fide Hollywood star with a dazzling editorial in Interview, a magazine known for its Internet-breaking photoshoots – including, most recently, Kim Kardashian's Americana themed spread.

The Maynooth native, who rose to prominence in the television adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel Normal People, was interviewed by fellow actor Dakota Johnson, in which he discussed his up-and-coming roles: the A24 drama God's Creatures, and playing a weekend dad Aftersun.

What evolves in a mutual love-in between the two A-listers, with Mescal seemingly sitting down to the interview wearing the leather short-shorts and Johnson complimenting him, to which he replies with a succinct, "Thank you. Grooming." Connell lives.

The short-shorts in question were paired with a long black leather trench coat, cinched shut by the waist belt, and thigh-high leather boots, all by Bottega Veneta, and accented by a black feathered beret by Contemporary Wardrobe.

When asked by Johnson if he was going to keep the shorts, Mescal joked: "I don't want them. I’ve got a pretty extensive short shorts wardrobe."

The shot instantly went viral, with our own Panti Bliss sharing it on Twitter with the caption, "Paul Mescal serving it".

Of course, this being Irish Twitter, followers weren't long playfully teasing the star. "That's a fierce posh pair of wellies, proper thigh chaffers I'd bet", one wrote, while another noted, "That hairy thigh spoils it for me. Fabulous besides that though".

It was a hit on practically all corners of Twitter, however, as one user quipped: "The Julia Foxification of Paul Mescal".

Elsewhere in the photoshoot Mescal wore a dark suit jacket and shirt by Loro Piana, pinned with a crystal embellished tie by Gucci, as well as a structured black coat with black fur tufts on the sleeves and a black turtleneck by Prada.