Paul Mescal admits he was 'very naive' as he jokes 'I was going to go for normal Gladiator' before he was told about his intense training regime for blockbuster movie

Paul Mescal has revealed he did not realise how ripped he was going to have to be for new film Gladiator II as he opened up about his intense training to get in shape.

The actor, who had no previous experience of body building or working out, transformed his body to take on the role of Lucius by working with a fitness coach, riding horses and learning to fight.

Paul has now admitted he was 'very naive' ahead of filming as he believed his 'normal' body would be OK. 

Speaking to Variety in a conversation with Wicked star Ariana Grande, the Irish star also opened up about trying on his costume for the first time and said he 'didn't recognise his body' following his transformation which made him 'excited'.

Paul said: '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 recognize 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 cut a dapper figure for the magazine cover in a grey blazer and white open collar shirt as he joined by Wicked star Ariana Grande.  

It comes after Amanda Holden questioned Paul about his trainer's extreme steps to prepare the actor for the role. 

The Heart radio presenter asked: 'Is it true when you started for this, your personal trainer literally circled you to see what he could do with you?'

To which Paul replied: 'Oh, fully up in the hotel bedroom he was like 'strip down to your boxers' and I was like 'okay.' Circled around and then just did this like mind palace of what my body could potentially look like in x amount of months.'

Amanda then went on to ask what steps Paul took to get his body in shape for the film, querying whether he had to make 'sacrifices' he had to make when it came to his normal diet and drinking habits.

Paul shared: 'The diet and the training were the main sacrifices because it just requires time and diligence but thankfully, I was able to obviously drink within reason and everything.' 

Amanda then remarked: 'Yes, because wine is good for you and the Romans invented it and drank it', with Paul then quipping that drinking wine is simply 'method' acting.

Last month, Paul revealed he became so ripped he felt his body 'could inflict real damage' after his intense training sessions for Gladiator II.

The Normal People star previously told The Sun: 'You start feeling like your body can inflict damage, which is weird.

'It changes the way you move and operate. And that's a fun kind of place to live when it's make-believe.'

The thespian, who rose to fame as Connel Waldron in the BBC's lockdown smash hit Normal People, plays the son of Russell Crowe's legendary Maximus.

Although the character is long-since dead and buried, it is vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his liberty in the film after being taken into slavery and ripped away from his wife and daughter by general Marcus (Pedro Pascal).

Gladiator II takes place several decades after the first instalment, and features Lucius (the son of Connie Nielsen's Lucilla) who is now living in Numidia, a region of northern Africa.

Although he was sent to Numidia as a child, the film follows Lucius' return to Rome to reunite with his mother—and coming into conflict as he does so.

The film, which was 20 years in the making has been a hit with critics and fans have praised Paul's performance.