Awards ceremonies are a tricky experiment in social skills among those nominated. One should appear happy to win, even elated, but never smug. Utter shock is appreciated only under warranting circumstances, lest it appear contrived. Winning in a category that a friend or colleague is also nominated in is awkward but oftentimes unavoidable — in those cases, a respectful shoutout will do.
But what is the etiquette for one boyfriend of the internet beating another? This year, Mark Ruffalo, an actor whom the internet has been horny for since at least 2010, won for Best Lead Actor In A Limited Series or Movie, for his work on the sad but good I Know This Much Is True. This was good news for Ruffalo-lusters, except that awards are a zero-sum game, and his win meant a loss for one of the internet's newer erotic obsessions — the young Irish actor Paul Mescal for his role as Connell in Hulu's Normal People. The adaptation of the hit novel by Sally Rooney was extra popular among certain audiences who found love in the sultry, brooding Connell and more importantly, his chain.
For those mourning, take comfort in the fact that Mescal is most certainly just fine.
