Director Ridley Scott praises Paul Mescal’s performance in “Gladiator II”

Paul Mescal in Gladiator II

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Gladiator II casting director Kate Rhodes James says that working with Ridley Scott on the film was a unique and rewarding experience. “He trusts the process that a casting director goes through. I make sure that I am thorough in my research and knowledge of an actor before presenting them. If Ridley likes their look for the role, he will then meet them for a chat and go by instinct, which serves him well!”

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/c0kJwlah7A8

And chat he did with Paul Mescal, who would then go on to play the sequel’s lead character, Lucius, son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus from the Oscar-winning first film. Scott says he first noticed Mescal when he starred in the acclaimed Anglo-Irish television series Normal People. “He reminded me of Richard Harris crossed with a very young Albert Finney,” says the director. “He seemed a very sound, solid, and sympathetic actor. As this story in the script started to evolve, I kept thinking about him. I knew that he was a very good theater actor, which to me is a plus. Theater actors keep me honest. I tend to be very visual and move like lightning. They like to know about the story and the characters between each take.”

It was obvious to the filmmakers that Mescal was a star in the making. What was not obvious was whether he could transform himself from the sensitive young man of Normal People into a fearsome Roman gladiator. “Finding a follow-up for the first movie was a daunting task — particularly since we had killed off our two leads!” says producer Douglas Wick. “That meant we either had to find a new star or make one. It was an incredible risk on a big movie to choose an actor who’s never carried one. And our protagonist also had to be credible as an action hero. Ridley, the producers and the studio all held hands with Mescal and jumped off a cliff. We would soon discover that Paul is one of those once-in-a-generation talents who always lands on his feet.”

Producer Lucy Fisher says that the filmmakers “were all wowed by Paul’s talent.” But they first had to check one very important thing: if Mescal played any physical sport that could help him with his journey of becoming a gladiator for the film. “We had to sheepishly ask if he had ever played any sports, hoping to see a sign that he could play a gladiator,” Fisher recalls. “When he replied ‘Irish rugby,’ which we know demands toughness and more than a little lunacy, we knew we had our man. Some might say it was a gamble, but Paul has such wisdom and depth as an actor and such clarity as a human being that it never felt like a risk. Plus, the camera loves him, as did everyone who worked with him.”

At the age of 28, Mescal has collected an Olivier Award for Best Actor for A Streetcar Named Desire and an Oscar nomination for his work in Aftersun. Being asked to headline a Ridley Scott film was what he calls a “pinch-me moment.” “Ridley Scott’s a king in cinema and especially this genre,” the actor says. “When Ridley comes knocking, you just say yes. It’s definitely been a career highlight for me to watch the way the master’s brain works. And he was incredibly generous about sharing his knowledge and talent with me.”

Lucius is an unusually physical role for any actor. To prepare for the part, Mescal put in considerable strength training with Tim Blakeley of Media Physiques. He also had to learn to handle a sword like a Roman gladiator. “There were all kinds of practical elements,” he says. “I was going to the gym, weight training, running, eating a certain way, all of these things. The training was something I could grab onto with both hands during prep. Ridley’s only interest is the talent for which he hired us. You’ve got to just step into it.”

Mescal says he is acutely aware of the influence and acclaim associated with the Gladiator title. “It holds a huge amount of weight for a vast number of people across the world. And the scale of it is huge. It’s not like any other role I’ve played. Going from independent features to a blockbuster studio picture was intimidating until I realized that acting is acting is acting, regardless of the context.”

Gladiator II opens in cinemas December 4.

Photos and video from Paramount Pictures