Thanks to their performances in “Aftersun” and “The Last of Us,” Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal were two of the biggest breakout stars of the previous year. Both actors received highly sought-after roles in Ridley Scott’s upcoming sequel “Gladiator 2,” with Mescal playing the title character Lucius (previously portrayed by Spencer Treat Clark in the first movie). Pascal portrays an unnamed supporting role, Mescal claimed that from the minute Pascal arrived on set, he immediately radiated gravitas. Mescal recently talked about the daunting experience of working on “Gladiator 2” (which is now on hold due to the SAG-AFTRA strike) in an interview with Esquire.
When Mescal first met Pascal, he recalled that he was too shy to approach the “Mandalorian” star and had to wait for Pascal to strike up an interaction instead. I was too afraid to go up to him,” Mescal stated. “He came up and just seemed so genuine; I’m really looking forward to hanging out with him.” Russell Crowe, the original “Gladiator” star, hasn’t been in touch with Mescal regarding the movie, which is something that Crowe is likely okay with given his outward dissatisfaction with discussing the movie. “I don’t know what we would talk about,” Mescal stated on Crowe. “Like, I’d love to hear his stories from filming, but the character is, like, totally separate”
Mescal noted that his excitement for “Gladiator 2” is muted by his apprehension about the project’s size, despite the exciting opportunity to work with Scott and venture into blockbuster filmmaking. He ardently commented, “I can’t tell you how stressed I am talking about that film in particular, because it’s definitely the biggest one I’ve done,” he said. “I feel really excited, but, like, it’s difficult to get away from the legacy of the film a bit. I think it’s really well written and it pays homage to the first one, but it’s very much something that I think I can step into and make comfortably my own.”
