Paul Mescal reveals first thing Denzel Washington said to him on Gladiator II
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Paul Mescal has confessed that he was so anxious about encountering Denzel Washington while filming the Gladiator sequel that he postponed it for a whole day. He also shared what the first thing was that the experienced actor told him.
The Irish actor shares the screen with the iconic 69-year-old American star in Gladiator II, the sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 landmark historical action movie.
Set to be released in the UK on November 15, the film centers around Mescal's character, Lucius Verus, who becomes a captive of the Roman army after they attack his homeland and is compelled to fight as a gladiator. Washington portrays Macrinus, a former slave with aspirations to manipulate Lucius to further his own ambitions of seizing power in Rome.
While on The Graham Norton Show with his co-star, as well as fellow Irish actress Saoirse Ronan and British actor Eddie Redmayne, Mescal shared his experience of wanting to introduce himself to Washington on the very first day of filming together.
Once the filming wrapped up for the day, he found himself at the foot of the steps that led to the box where Washington had been sitting. He paused there for a few moments and thought to himself, “Not today.” So, he quickly turned and hurried to his dressing room, telling himself, “Tomorrow, you’re going to be bold.”
On the second day, he waited once more and eventually encountered Washington, who greeted him with a handshake and seemingly remarked, "You should take a break from exercising, my friend."
In that episode, Mescal talked about the intense training program his personal trainer had put him through to prepare for his role as Lucius.
He mentioned that he followed all the trainer's instructions, such as eating plenty of chicken and lifting heavy weights. However, he confessed that he couldn't bring himself to quit smoking and drinking.
He shared that he was given the role right after a 30-minute conversation with Scott: “Ridley doesn’t take long at all,” he remarked. “I expected there would be tests and auditions, but we just had a half-hour Zoom call. We discussed the role for about 10 minutes and then spent the next 20 minutes chatting about Gaelic football, his dog, and his wife.”
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Last year, studio executives revealed that Mescal's shirtless performances in the West End version of A Streetcar Named Desire helped them realize he was the ideal choice for the part.
"He portrayed Stanley, and there were numerous instances where he removed his shirt, which created quite a buzz," Daria Cercek, co-head of Paramount, shared with Variety last July. It was during those scenes that the women in the audience became quite animated, leading both Cercek and her co-head Michael Ireland to realize they had discovered the perfect actor for the role.
Initial reviews of Gladiator II have been mostly favorable, with many suggesting that Washington could receive an Oscar nomination.
Gladiator II will hit theaters in the UK on November 15, followed by its release in the US on November 22.
