Inside Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal's viral TV moment: From friendly hugs to tense remarks and THAT self-defense joke - what really happened to set the internet ablaze

For 16 years The Graham Norton Show has been keeping the nation entertained, with the titular host interviewing thousands of celebrities on his famous red sofas. 

Yet it was Friday night's episode that sent the internet ablaze, with Saoirse Ronan going viral after she made a remark about gender-based violence while sat  alongside an otherwise all-male panel.

The Irish actress, 30, was responding to a joke made by Paul Mescal, with he, Denzel Washington and Eddie Redmayne, laughing at the idea one would use a phone to defend themselves in the wake of an attack, before Saoirse swiftly reminded them that women had to think about how they can stay safe from attack 'all the time.' 

While some viewers claimed they saw tension between Saoirse and Paul, the pair are in fact good friends. 

So what exactly happened on The Graham Norton Show and why did Paul and Saoirse become the centre of the conversation? 

 The programme got off to a lively start as Eddie joked that Graham was pleased to have his 'favourite line-up ever'. 

Graham then pointed out that Paul was on good terms with everyone on the sofa, asking about his 'good friendship' with Saoirse. 

As the pair began talking over each other to tell the story, Saoirse joked: 'I'll interrupt and then Paul says "you just say it then"', before explaining: 'You and my husband [actor Jack Lowden] became bromance buddies online.' 

Paul added: 'Jack sent me a very nice message when Normal People came out and I fangirled over Jack. Then I met Saoirse and we worked together, played husband and wife and now we're best pals.' 

Saoirse was quick to add: 'and we're neighbours, neighbours in Cork!' with Graham quick to jump in and joke that they must never spend any time back in Ireland. 

Paul and Denzel were on the show to talk about Gladiator II and once they had finished, the pair swapped sides so that Paul could sit next to his good friend Saoirse and give her a hug. 

Yet it was clear Paul was in high spirits and just wanting to joke around when it came to Saoirse promoting her new film, Blitz, with Graham warning: 'Paul behave, because Saoirse's up now.'

Yet his warning went unheeded, with Paul later unable to control his giggles when Saoirse was being interviewed. 

The men on the panel had been discussing undergoing physical transformations for roles, with Graham soon turning the attention to Saoirse. 

He asked about the training regime for her titular role in 2011 action thriller Hanna, where she plays a young girl raised to be an assassin by her ex-CIA operative father (Eric Bana).

As a picture of Saoirse in the film flashed up on screen, the boys instantly burst into laughter, prompting the actress to warn: 'don't laugh.' 

Pointing at the picture, Paul continued to chuckle and remarked: 'just look at her!' as Saoirse continued: 'That is a cult classic, she's just shot a deer...'

Interrupting her, Paul laughed, 'of course', as Saoirse warned again, 'stop laughing Paul...' 

Trying to change the subject, Graham asked Paul: 'Have you seen Hanna? It's a really good film!' and the Normal People star confessed he hadn't. 

As Saoirse went to speak again, Paul jumped in by joking: 'I want to go as you for Halloween!' prompting a visibly irked Saoirse to point out: 'Ok, you've had your time talking.'

Making light of the tension, Denzel, 69, began shrinking into his seat and quipped: 'Somehow I knew to back up!' as Saoirse insisted: 'nah, nah, nah, we love each other.'

The tense moment happened just minutes before Saoirse stunned the men into silence with her comment on gender-based violence. 

During the chat, Eddie, 42, explained that amid his training for The Day of the Jackal, an upcoming Peacock miniseries, he received instruction on how to use a phone to retaliate in the event of an attack.

A guffawing Paul then joked: 'Who is actually going to think about that? If someone actually attacked me, I'm not going to go "phone."'

Giggling Graham mimicked holding a phone to fend off an assailant, saying, 'Can you hold on a second?' to which Eddie said, 'That's a very good point.'

Having been talked over in the chat, Saoirse finally found a moment to speak and declared: 'That's what girls have to think about all the time.'

The brutally honest comment prompted a moment of silence from the panel.

'Am I right, ladies?' she then asked the crowd, eliciting a huge round of applause from the studio audience.

While Saoirse and Paul had an awkward interaction on the show, there is no bad blood between the pair. 

In fact, the Irish actors are good friends after starring together in 2023 sci-fi film, Foe, where they played a married couple.

During the promo tour for the film, Saoirse explained how the role had brought them closer together, sharing: 'We knew each other sort of in passing before, just through friends.

'We’ve become very, very close since making the film. We’re genuine friends; we’re not Hollywood friends.'

Meanwhile, Paul said of his co-star: 'Saoirse is the most prepared actor I’ve ever worked with. There’s no tiredness. She’s also now a really good pal of mine.'

Saoirse is currently promoting her war drama film Blitz, which is slated to be released in theaters November 1 before streaming on Apple TV+ November 22.

The movie also stars Elliott Heffernan, Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clémentine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller and Stephen Graham.

Blitz, written and directed by Steven McQueen, 'follow the stories of a group of Londoners during the events of the British capital bombing in World War II,' a logline for the film reads.

Saoirse portrays a woman named named Rita who is raising her son George, nine, (Heffernan) amid the tumultuous time.