Culture 5 min read By Trevor Kendall
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones Back Sally Rooney After UK Book Withdrawal
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones have signed an open letter supporting Sally Rooney after her books were withdrawn from sale in the UK over her support for the banned protest group Palestine Action.
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones have signed an open letter supporting Sally Rooney after it was confirmed that her books would be withdrawn from sale in the UK over her support for the banned protest group Palestine Action. The two actors, who starred in the hit television adaptation of Rooney’s novel «Normal People», are among a group of signatories backing the author.
The letter, addressed to the UK government, describes Rooney as a «writer, not a terrorist». Mescal’s Oscar-winning «Hamnet» co-star Jessie Buckley is also among those who have added their names to the letter, according to reports. The signatories are voicing support for Rooney after her books were pulled from sale in the UK.
Palestine Action is a pro-Palestinian direct action group that has been banned in the UK. Rooney’s support for the group prompted the decision to withdraw her books from sale. The open letter represents a public show of solidarity from figures in the entertainment industry, including the two actors most closely associated with the screen adaptation of her breakout novel.
Rooney’s novel «Normal People» was adapted into a television series that propelled both Mescal and Edgar-Jones to fame. The pair’s decision to sign the letter ties their public support back to the work that first brought them widespread recognition. The letter’s signatories frame their support around Rooney’s identity as an author, pushing back on the circumstances that led to her books being removed from sale.
The withdrawal of Rooney’s books from UK sale marks an escalation in the public dispute over her support for Palestine Action. The open letter adds a prominent entertainment-industry voice to the conversation, with Mescal and Edgar-Jones lending their names alongside Buckley and other signatories. The letter’s message to the UK government is direct: it characterizes Rooney as a writer rather than a terrorist.
The dispute has drawn attention to the intersection of literature, celebrity advocacy and political controversy in the UK. Rooney, whose novels have been widely acclaimed and adapted for the screen, now finds herself at the center of a debate that extends beyond the literary world. The support from Mescal and Edgar-Jones underscores how the «Normal People» adaptation has linked the actors’ public profiles to the author’s work and, now, to her political stance.
The open letter’s signatories are seeking to influence the UK government’s position on the matter. By publicly backing Rooney, the actors and other signatories are using their platforms to weigh in on a controversy that has already resulted in her books being withdrawn from sale. The letter’s wording, describing Rooney as a «writer, not a terrorist», frames the issue as one of free expression and professional identity.
The confirmation that Rooney’s books would be withdrawn from sale in the UK came earlier this month. The decision followed her support for Palestine Action, a group that has been banned. The open letter is the latest development in a story that has moved from the literary sphere into broader public debate, with high-profile figures from film and television now adding their voices.
Mescal and Edgar-Jones remain among the most visible alumni of the «Normal People» adaptation, and their involvement in the letter is likely to draw further attention to Rooney’s situation. The letter’s signatories, including Buckley, represent a cross-section of the entertainment industry voicing support for the author. The UK government is the intended recipient of the letter’s message.
The controversy continues to develop, with the open letter serving as a focal point for supporters of Rooney. The withdrawal of her books from sale in the UK remains the central fact driving the response, and the letter’s signatories are making clear where they stand. For readers and viewers who followed «Normal People», the dispute has brought the relationship between the author and the actors who brought her characters to life back into public view.
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