Normal People star Paul Mescal has said that he thinks the fandom surrounding his character Connell's chain is "pretty, pretty weird".

The 24-year-old has become an instant heartthrob over the last couple of months following the release of the acclaimed series, while his character's silver chain has also enjoyed mass appeal.

An Instagram account dedicated to pictures of Mescal wearing the chain has now gained more than 183,000 followers, much to the actor's bemusement.

"It's not even an attempt to like brush over that, but I haven't gotten to the point where I'm able to articulate a response, other than that I have no fucking idea what's happening," he told The Hollywood Reporter.

"It wasn't that it was bothering me, but I was like, if there is something that's gaining this much attention... and it's an inanimate object. It's a chain.

"It's not something that says lines, it's not something that has an emotional response to a situation, it's not something that expresses anything. It's a thing that's clipped around a character's neck.

"Between the necklace and being photographed going to the shop... it's pretty, pretty weird, and it's uncomfortable. It just seems so insignificant in the grand scheme of the world."

Mescal's iconic GAA shorts have also garnered popularity, while the actor has also become an unexpected hit on a foot fetish website.