It’s been a little over a week since the BBC and Hulu TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s award-winning novel Normal People landed on screens and it's safe to say that Connell’s chain has been the breakout star (read: inanimate object) of the show. So what happened to Connell's chain after filming?
With non-stop discussion and social media traction, the chain has been a constant feature in the interviews with the stars of the show since it was released. It's even garnered its own dedicated Instagram fan account, Connell Waldron’s Chain, which has garnered some 55k followers (at publishing) in the six days since the account was created. It was even given the seal of approval by Connell (Paul Mescal) himself when he clicked follow, and the Normal People Official Instagram account commenting “Yes. This is very necessary. 😍” on the debut post.
Speaking on the Variety After-Show on Wednesday from his flat in London where he is self-isolating, Mescal likened the choice of chain to Harry Potter and his wand: “[it] chooses you”. “That one just seemed really right, because it’s simple. But also, it’s a massive statement that I don’t think Connell is aware that he’s making,” Mescal added.
It turns out the important piece of jewellery from the set has found its way back to a suitable owner, where it belongs. But not before Connell himself caused a bit of a scare, and hinted that the original may have been lost, much to fans despair. “I gave it to Daisy [Edgar-Jones], as a wrap gift with photographs at the end of filming,” Mescal told Variety. “And I’m going to come out on the record and not blame her for losing it. We came back to shoot the poster for the show, so I obviously had to get it back off her and wear it. And then it kind of got lost in the melee of costumes and stuff.”
His co-star in this drama (and the series of course) Daisy Edgar-Jones put us all out of our misery by sharing a picture on social media of the now-renowned chain safely in her possession. The chain was draped over a well-read paperback copy of the novel and another prop from the set: Marianne’s ring. Posting to her Instagram story, Edgar-Jones wrote: “I can report, Connell’s Chain is safe and sound along with Marianne’s ring.”
The actress also featured a candle in the photo, sharing that she lights it by the chain for an hour each day. “It smells like sandalwood and GAA shorts,” she joked. Mescal reposted the story to his own account, commenting: “Thank the good lord.” Back to scrolling through the lust-worthy Instagram then.
