P Mescal stripped to be lead in The Count of Monte Cristo? (7)

I haven't cracked this one yet — but the brilliant team at Fifteensquared have:

ESCA ( M ESCA L stripped) going in front of (leading) PEE (the letter P) with the definition just being ‘character in The Count of Monte Cristo’)  – Paul Mescal (born 1996) is an Irish actor.