We Talked To The ‘Gladiator II’ Cast About Their Characters And The Legacy Of The First Film

“Gladiator,” the 2000 epic drama directed by Ridley Scott and starring Oscar winner Russell Crowe, has stood the test of time, captivating audiences for over two decades with its visceral storytelling and sweeping visual grandeur.

Now, “Gladiator II” arrives as one of the most anticipated sequels in recent memory — and it does not disappoint. With the return of Scott in the director’s chair, the film revisits the thrilling world of ancient Rome and delivers an entertaining continuation of the electrifying saga.

Fans of the original will recognize the same high-stakes drama and gritty authenticity, but this time with a mostly new cast: Paul Mescal stars as Lucius, who is taken as a prisoner of the Roman army and made a gladiator, alongside Denzel Washington, who portrays Macrinus, a villainous arms dealer who hopes to one day control Rome. Twin terrors Caracella (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn) are emperors with a penchant for violence. Connie Nielsen returns as Lucilla, Maximus’ (Crowe) former lover, and Pedro Pascal portrays Roman general Marcus Acacius, who like Crowe’s character in the 2000 film, would like to see a new vision forward for Rome.

HuffPost sat down with Washington and the rest of the ensemble cast to talk about the intricacies of their roles, the challenges of embodying such powerful characters and how they brought a new chapter of “Gladiator” to life.

There’s a powerful vulnerability you bring to this character, especially through the journey of loss, triumph and all the emotional highs and lows that unfold in the film. To capture those deeply emotional moments, what did you tap into or reflect on to bring that level of authenticity to the screen?

Paul Mescal: It ties back to what my acting teacher said when I was in drama school: You must always seek to reach for the character rather than pull a character down to fit you. You’re looking for things that you understand and have a hook onto. Ultimately, you’re trying to imagine how that character’s experience has informed their behavior. I know that sounds like woo-woo and all that, but that’s fundamentally the way that I think about acting.

Lucius Verus’ first battle reveals a powerful inner conflict: He hesitates to kill for the entertainment of others. How did you approach portraying this clash between personal morals and the brutal demands of the gladiator arena?

Mescal: That’s a biggie. I think the cultural context of what those gladiators were going through is hard to fathom. It’s not a place that gives you room for moral judgment. To see him step into that and take some sort of ownership of it, I think is impressive. Ultimately, being a gladiator is a game that is motivated purely by one thing, which I think is survival. I think I reserve any judgment for any of those men or women or people who would have been gladiators at that time, because I think ultimately it’s an exercise in getting to the next day, which I don’t think we’re familiar with as human beings living in first-world countries today.

Paul Mescal plays Lucius and Denzel Washington plays Macrinus in "Gladiator II."

Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

The line “What we do in life echoes in eternity” carries such a profound message within the world of “Gladiator II.” Has stepping into this role influenced how you view your own legacy or the lasting impact of your work?

Mescal: I think the reason people resonate with that line is because it means so much more. I think not just for actors, but for anybody who works in the arts. You want to do this work for it to have an impact, for it to begin conversations around themes that feel universal. It means a lot to me when people say that they are moved or they recognize themselves in any of the work that I’ve done. I’m motivated by the work that I do, of wanting it to have a resonance with people for the rest of my life and hopefully beyond that.

How did each of you approach building a lasting legacy for your character, especially with one of you returning and the other joining as a new addition? And did working on this film challenge or shape any personal beliefs about the legacy you want to leave in your own careers?

Connie Nielsen: I was very focused on making sure that no one would feel like we were disturbing the legacy of the first film and that, in fact, we were building something that would stand equally tall with the first one as a companion piece rather than as, you know, something that was diminishing it. I know a lot of people felt like the first one was so sacred. What we were trying to do is to make sure that we used so much respect for the first one, but at the same time that we were building something that really was its own new thing.

Pedro Pascal: I had the privilege of my character being directly related to a connective tissue from the first one. I was sort of written into the legacy of it by being Lucilla’s husband and having a character that fights big battles on behalf of Rome but is really in service of her. I needed that anchor, or I would say that the anchor made me feel special.

Stepping into a world of gladiators often calls for extreme physical and mental transformation. How did preparing for these roles push you beyond your boundaries?

Fred Hechinger plays Emperor Caracalla, Pedro Pascal plays General Acacius and Joseph Quinn plays Emperor Geta in "Gladiator II."

Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

Joseph Quinn: You never know who you’re gonna get paired with and especially for a kind of brotherly dynamic, it was vital for us to spend a lot of time together and figure this out. Fred [Hechinger] is wonderful company as well as being a prodigiously talented actor. We were able to just have lots of dinners, come up with ideas and it was a joy.

Fred Hechinger: The way that [Ridley Scott] builds a set is very inspiring and full on. It’s unlike any other set and he has so many cameras that the action happens continuously rather than sort of breaking things up into these discrete beats. The scene is the full spectacle. It’s as if you’re doing a play or he’s shooting a documentary, and I think working that way was very inspiring because it meant a few things. I felt energized working with [Joseph Quinn] and being able to build and kind of know that every day we were going to walk into something that was going to be intense and major.

You’ve consistently chosen roles that delve into themes of justice and human dignity. What fuels your commitment to these topics, and how do you view their place in the broader social impact of cinema today?

Denzel Washington: This character isn’t so nice — he does have an element of justice and how he likes to convey justice with the actions that he does. He wants to rule the world, and he’s willing to do anything to do that, use anyone to do that.

Many actors are beginning to think about retirement, and you’ve mentioned that you’ll be spending less time in front of the camera. What would you want your final role to look like? And as you look ahead, would directing or developing new projects be part of your vision?

Washington: I would say either Othello or King Lear would be my final performances once I decide to step away. I started with Othello at 22 years old and I’m performing it at 70 on Broadway. I think I understand him better now. I know I understand him better now. It’s a great role, challenging, but I love challenging roles.

I don’t know how many films I have left in me, but I want them to be the best. I’ve been talking to some great directors so I’m not done yet. I have a five-year plan and a 20-year plan. I have seven more films to produce for August Wilson.

“Gladiator II” is in theaters Friday.