Paul Mescal has said Saoirse Ronan “hit the nail on the head” when she spoke about women’s safety in a clip that went viral.

The two Irish stars appeared on the Graham Norton show last month, where fellow actor Eddie Redmayne explained that he learned how to use a phone as a weapon while training for his role as a hitman in The Day of the Jackal.

In response, Mescal, 28, wondered whether anyone would realistically have the time to get their phone out if attacked, before Ronan said: “That’s what girls have to think about all the time. Am I right ladies? “

Asked about the reactions on Irish broadcaster RTE’s The Late Late Show, Mescal said Ronan had been “perfect”.

The Gladiator II star said he wasn’t surprised by the huge social media backlash to her comments, “because like you said, you’re on a talk show like this, and you’re basically just talking.”

“But I’m not surprised that the message got as much attention as it got because it’s hugely important and I’m sure you’ve had Saoirse on the show, like, she’s… very often, more often than not, the most intelligent person in the room.

“But I think she was… spot on, hit the nail on the head, and it’s also good that… these kinds of messages are gaining traction, like that’s a conversation we should absolutely be having on a daily basis. ” .”

Ronan, who plays the lead role the Oscar-tipped film Blitzwas cheered by the audience during the BBC One show and the clip trended on social media for days afterwards.

She later told Virgin Radio UK that the reaction to her comments was “wild”. and “definitely not something I expected”.

“I think there’s something very telling about the society we’re in now and how open women want to be with the men in their lives,” she said.

The 30-year-old added that the conversation “seemed very similar to when I’m having dinner with a bunch of friends and I will always emphasize that this is actually an experience we go through every day.” 100%.”

She said it was “great” that the moment “opens a conversation” and “allows more women to say, well, let’s actually talk about our experiences.”

She added that the men on the talk show “had no intention of debunking anything I said,” and said Mescal “completely understands” the issue as they have discussed it before.

Her comments were praised at the time, with numerous commentators saying she highlighted the reality of women.

After Ronan made her comments, there was a brief silence before the audience applauded, while the men on the bench and Norton nodded in agreement and acknowledged her point.

Ronan sat on Norton’s couch talking about her new role in Blitz, in which she plays Rita, a mother searching for her son as World War II ravages London.

Normal People actor Mescal currently plays the lead role in the blockbuster Gladiator II. Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated sequel to the 2000 epic received mixed reactions from film critics.