Gladiator II star Paul Mescal breaks down Ridley Scott's unique directing style. Scott, who also directed the original Gladiator released in 2000, returned to direct the long-awaited sequel that follows the journey of Lucius Verus (Mescal). In the next installment of the franchise's action-heavy and historical spectacle, Gladiator II's star-studded cast also includes Denzel Washington as Macrinus, Pedro Pascal as General Marcus Acacius, and Connie Nielsen reprising her role from the previous movie as Lucius' mother, Lucilla.
While speaking with Screen Rant, Mescal discussed how Scott's fast-paced style is different from any other director he has worked with before. He likened Scott's directing style to the nature of playing sports and teased how this influenced his performance as Lucius. Mescal also acknowledged how Scott has rightfully become a legend in the entertainment industry, which contributed to Mescal delivering a performance unlike anything he has previously achieved so far in his career. Check out Mescal's comments below:
I've never worked with anybody like him in terms of style. It's super fast. It feels like how it felt like when I was playing sports. It's a different, you're exercising different muscles, and I think as a result, anybody who's seen any of my work that's preceded this, it's a very different performance as a result, which of course it is because it's a different style of direction, and he's just, as you said, he's a legend and will be remembered as such.
What This Means For Gladiator II
Paul Mescal's Performance In The Sequel Will Be Truly Distinct
Prior to Gladiator II, Mescal was already an accomplished actor, including his Academy Award-nominated performance in Aftersun. As impressive as his career has already been, Mescal has now seemingly taken his acting to new heights as he leads the cast of Gladiator II. Lucius is the most physically demanding and fast-paced role that Mescal has played yet, which will bring out different sides of the actor's talents as he portrays Lucius' journey.
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Given how crucial Russell Crowe's leading performance was to the success of the original Gladiator, it is fitting that Mescal is following in his footsteps with his distinct depiction of Lucius. Whether it is an action sequence in the Colosseum, a tense interaction with Macrinus, a gripping duel with General Acacius, or a moving reunion with Lucilla, Mescal will excel in bringing all these parts of Lucius' story to life. Working with Scott has brought out new dimensions of his performing abilities that will make Gladiator II even more compelling to watch.
They Are A Reminder Of Why Ridley Scott Is A Legendary Director
Scott remains one of the most exciting and versatile directors in the entertainment industry. Mescal recognizes that the performance Scott helped elicit is something truly special. Considering the original Gladiator's perfect ending, there has been skepticism about the need for a sequel, especially more than two decades after the first movie was released. Mescal's tease about his performance and Scott's directing style are promising indicators that, despite the skepticism, Gladiator II will prove to be a worthy sequel to its predecessor.
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott's award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
Release Date November 22, 2024
Writers David Scarpa , Peter Craig , David Franzoni
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English (US) ·