If you're looking for a book to read and a show to binge while in quarantine, "Normal People" has you covered on both fronts.
The beloved 2018 Sally Rooney novel -- even former President Barack Obama is a fan -- has been adapted into a series on Hulu, which is streaming now.
Set in Ireland, it revolves around the relationship between Connell, a popular working-class student who cares too much what people think of him, and Marianne, a rich yet sensitive social outcast. What begins as a secret high school romance follows the two through their college years as they face a series of heartbreaking miscommunications and meaningful reconnections.
Paul Mescal, who plays Connell, and Daisy Edgar-Jones, who plays Marianne, tell ABC Audio they felt pressure to get the story right.
“I think whenever a book is as popular as 'Normal People' has been, it applies a natural pressure that you can't really avoid,” Mescal says. “So, you've got to get to the point where you kind of embrace it.”
As a fan of the book as well, Edgar-Jones says she understands “as a viewer, there is a lot of expectation for it to be exactly how you pictured it.”
“I find Marianne to be quite a complex person,” she adds. “So trying to make sure I understood every level of her and [portray] her accurately, definitely felt pressure to do that for sure.”
They can both rest easy -- the 12-episode "Normal People" series, thanks to Mescal and Edgar-Jones' raw and intimate portrayal, will likely satisfy the book's fans, and beyond.