Paul Mescal is aware that taking on a role in the much-anticipated follow-up to director Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is quite a daunting challenge.
Paul Mescal has talked about experiencing social anxiety when he begins a new role on a movie set, especially before meeting his well-known co-stars.
During the interview with Esquire, the candid actor talked about feeling stressed about taking on the biggest role he’s had so far in his career. He admitted that it’s challenging to escape from the weight of the history associated with the original Gladiator film and its legacy.
Detailing the anxiety he feels, Paul said: ‘It’s the worst feeling! You fly to a new country and figure out who’s there, and then you panic in your bedroom about being social, and then you kind of let that go.
‘I tend to hang out by myself for a bit until I get my feet on the ground with the work itself. ‘I think that’s the best way to do it, rather than force intimacy that doesn’t exist yet.’
The 27-year-old actor, known for his role in the upcoming Gladiator sequel, had a conversation with Esquire where he opened up about feeling nervous on the first day of filming, leading to moments of panic in his bedroom.
Paul Mescal has been selected for a role in the sequel to the 2000 Oscar-winning film. It’s reported that director Ridley Scott had a preference for Paul all along to play this role.
As per Deadline, Paul Mescal’s role will be that of Lucius. In the sequel, Lucius, who is the son of Lucilla played by Connie Nielsen, has grown into a man, and the story unfolds many years after the events of the original film.
On the pressure that comes with starring in the film, he said: ‘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.
‘I feel really excited, but, 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.’
When asked if he would seek advice from Russell Crowe regarding his upcoming role, Paul Mescal indicated that his character’s role is entirely distinct. Therefore, he didn’t foresee asking for advice from Russell, despite the opportunity.
He said: ‘I’d love to hear his stories from filming, but the character is totally separate.’
Reports about Mescal’s role in the movie initially surfaced in January from various sources. In the film, he will be playing the character of Lucius, the son of Lucilla (played by Connie Nielsen) from the original Gladiator movie released in 2000.
Lucius is also the nephew of the antagonist Commodus (portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix). Throughout the story, Lucius admires Maximus (played by Russell Crowe) and watches him fight in the gladiator arenas of Rome.
