Paul Mescal Shares the Awkward Moment he Met Nicole Kidman Wearing Only "Sweaty Underwear"

Paul Mescal has proved that even celebrities suffer cringe-worthy moments. The "Aftersun" actor, who has been nominated for his first Oscar this award season, appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on 2 March and shared the awkward moment he met Nicole Kidman while semi-naked. The 27-year-old has been treading the boards in "A Streetcar Named Desire" in London's West End and Kidman happened to be in the audience one night recently.

"I didn't know she was in and then she came backstage. I was sharing a dressing room with Ralph [Davis] and Eduardo [Ackerman] and we're getting changed and wearing our underwear and . . . I'm not even lying, this happened . . . we hear a knock on the door," Mescal says. "We thought it was the stage manager or something, and I go to open the door and it's Nicole Kidman. I'm standing there in, like, sweaty underwear!"

So what did Mescal do when faced with Oscar-winner Kidman? He didn't slam the door shut in surprise or attempt to get dressed, but simply greeted her while in his pants. "You think the next smart step is like 'put on some trousers', but there's something incredibly undignified about the act of, you know, it's not like a look you want to be caught in, bent over," he laughs. "So then you kind of half pull on your trousers and you're chatting about the play and you hug and are like, 'thanks for coming'. The door shuts and you're just turning to each other like, 'what the hell just happened?'"

After his embarrassing ordeal with Kidman, talk turned to award season. He recently took to the stage at the SAG Awards on 26 Feb. to present an award alongside Zendaya, which he said got him brownie points with his "Aftersun" costar, 12-year-old Frankie Corio, who called her a "goddess".

Kimmel also asked about the upcoming Oscars, taking place on 12 March, in which Mescal has been nominated in the best actor category. As rumours continue to swirl about his split with Phoebe Bridgers, he revealed he is taking his mum as a plus one, who has been determined to attend with her son following her recent cancer diagnosis. "My mother is one of the most spectacular women in the world," he adds. While he doesn't think he'll win the category, he is proud of the Irish taking over award shows this year, and will be preparing a speech just in case his name is called. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for his Oscar red carpet debut, whatever happens. Watch his interview above.