Shakespeare's Modern Mullet

The film Hamnet was a delight, including Paul Mescal’s modern mini mullet. It’s clear why Jessie Buckley’s performance as Agnes (Anne Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife) is so recognized and awarded. The way she deals with grief, culminating in the death of her son Hamnet, is the heart of the story. I didn’t cry, but it was very immersive, tense, and beautiful.

Mescal is the hook actor, playing a young Shakespeare as a rising star. He delivers strong work as Will—that’s undeniable. He matches Buckley beat for beat. And he brings the film right into 2026, helped in no small part by his hair.

Men’s hair in Shakespeare’s day was sculpted, high, and precise. The soft, subtle, and natural micro-mullet vibe that Mescal has going on is nowhere close to Elizabethan. It’s lived-in, playful, and romantic. It frames the face and leaves enough to mess with. I found myself admiring it throughout the film. Like a good one should, it kept me interested.

There’s a reason we’re still flirting with the mullet these days. The shape feels timeless. Over time, we’re learning that the extreme can be dialed back. That exaggeration can be too much. That fade isn’t necessary. That restraint is classy and key. That just a hint of mullet works too. An ode.