10 December 2024
Paul Mescal's role in 'Gladiator II' was "miles away" from anything he's done in his career.
Paul Mescal stars in the big-budget action film
The 28-year-old actor plays the central character in the Sir Ridley Scott-directed movie, and Paul relished the challenge to taking on such an unfamiliar role.
He told Variety: "I initially decided when I’d first been cast - which was very naive - I was like, 'I’m just going to go for normal ‘Gladiator.’ The way my body is is the way my body is.' And then I was like, 'That’s not the film we’re making' So I went into the gym, but I hadn’t tried on the costumes yet, and when I put the costumes on, I was like, 'This is miles away from anything I’ve ever done.'
"I didn’t recognise the way my body was in the clothes that I was wearing, and that created a distance from who you feel like the world expects you to be as a performer. That got me excited. And then we had some dodgy wig fittings, and I’m not a fan of a wig."
Paul previously confessed that he felt under pressure while filming 'Gladiator II'.
The actor stars alongside the likes of Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington in the historical action film, and Paul admitted to feeling a weight of "responsibility" during the shoot.
Speaking to Variety about the film, Paul confessed: "I do feel the pressure, and I do feel the desire for this to make money.
"The box office needs a shot in the arm, and if films like ‘Gladiator II’ aren’t doing it, it would be concerning. So I do feel a responsibility."
English (US) ·