Paul Mescal is a fashion icon for all ages.

In a clip shared to TikTok On Thursday, November 14, the Irish actor, 28, paid a visit to BBC Radio 1 where he answered a question from a caller – and despite the fan’s age, she asked what we wanted let us all know!

“Hi, my name is Lily,” the child said as she introduced herself on the phone. “I am 5 years old. Hi Paul.”

After receiving a greeting back from Mescal, who was recently nominated for People’s Sexiest Man AliveLily got down to business.

“Why are your pants so short?” she asked.

Her inquiry received laughter from All of us foreigners star as well as the two co-hosts of the radio show.

“That’s a good question, Lily,” Mescal admitted, before taking a moment to let out a few more laughs. According to the actor, “Lily’s mom definitely asked her that.”

The BBC Radio 1 hosts agreed that the 5-year-old may have had a bit of help from a nearby adult when it came to the question.

However, the After the sun the actor was happy to provide an answer.

“They’re short—Lily, they’re gym shorts,” he began, trying to find the right way to explain the child’s answer. “They’re not custom made for me to be short, they’re just very practical for exercise and great for running.”

After a bit of back-and-forth with the radio hosts, Mescal joked that he might take his shorts look to the next level in the coming months.

“I might get my (dating) ass next summer,” he said with a laugh, adding that he’ll “go for the hot pants next summer.”

Mescal’s shorts have been a thing since at least 2022.

That year, he spoke with Interview Magazine about his viral look, telling his The lost daughter costar Dakota Johnson that she didn’t need to keep any of the looks from the photo shoot because “I have a pretty extensive wardrobe of shorts.”

Although Mescal’s legs have long been the center of attention, in his future role as Lucius Gladiator IIhis upper body sees a major amount of screen time.

During a visit to The Graham Norton Show on October 25 to promote the upcoming film, Mescal said he had “fun” was torn to act in the role.

“I ate a lot of chicken and lifted heavy things,” Mescal said, noting that his trainer “surrounded me like a shark.”

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And Mescal did what was expected of him while staying true to himself.

“I did everything he asked, but I like to drink and I like to smoke, so I drew a line in the sand as far as they were concerned,” the actor said.

The next action movie is the sequel Russell Croweof 2000 Gladiator — who won Best Picture at the Academy Awards — and stars Denzel Washington, Peter Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Djimon Hounsou.

Gladiator II is in theaters on November 22.