Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal star in Gladiator II and are teasing the Ridley Scott sequel.
In a new feature for the film, Pascal weighed in on Mescal’s physical transformation for the role, why he would not want to fight him, and the nickname he gave him.
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“It’s brutal, man. I call him Brick Wall Paul,” Pascal told Vanity Fair. “He got so strong. I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again. To go up against somebody that fit and that talented and that much younger….”
He continued, “Outside of Ridley being a total genius, Paul is a big reason as to why I would put my poor body through that experience.”
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Mescal had to train for the fighting scenes and saw some physical results, telling the publication, “I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage when shit hits the fan. I think also, sometimes, one could, in striving for that perfect look, end up looking more like an underwear model than a warrior.”
The Aftersun actor said the transformation’s impact was psychological and he channeled that into his role.
“Muscles start to grow, and that can be deemed aesthetic in certain capacities, but there is something about feeling strong in your body that elicits just a different feeling. You carry yourself differently,” Mescal added. “It has an impact on you psychologically in a way that is useful for the film.”
The Gladiator sequel is set years after the original film and has Mescal taking over the role of Lucius that Spencer Treat Clark portrayed in the 2000 movie. Lucius is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).