There’s a very unexpected reason why Paramount Pictures choose Paul Mescal as the main star of the long-awaitedGladiator 2from Ridley Scott.
The 2000 epic historical dramaGladiatorstarring Russell Crowe is finally getting a sequel, which will be centered on Spencer Treat Clark’s Lucius, now as an adult and played byNormal Peoplealum. The movie will include an amazing cast to accompany Mescal on his newest adventure, with Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington,The Last of UsandThe Mandalorianstar Pedro Pascal,Stranger Thingsbreak out Joseph Quinn, returning stars Connie Nielsen and Djimon Hounsou joining the project among some other names. But Mescal will still be under the spotlight after being chosen for the role for an unexpected reason.
Of course his incredible acting skills have played a more than important part in the casting process, but there was also something else that made him stood out.In an interview with Variety, Paramount co-president Daria Cercek revealed that she saw the actor onA Streetcar Named Desireat the West End with co-head Michael Ireland, and that was a decisive moment for them to make up their minds about Mescal starring inGladiator 2:
“He played Stanley, and there are several moments where he takes off his shirt and it was electric. The ladies in the audience were very vocal, and we were like, ‘I think we’ve found our guy.’”
Gladiator 2is one of the many big productions that’s been paused because of the current actors strike at Hollywood, but it’s still set to hit theaters on June 06, 2025.
Related:Why Paul Mescal Is Going to Be Huge Star
Paul Mescal’s Short but Impressive Career
It wasn’t long ago when Paul Mescal became a popular name within the industry. In fact, the 27-year-old Irish actor hasn’t been acting that long. His first role was in 2017’s stage adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’sThe Great Gatsbyat Gate Theater in Dublin. Only three years later, he made the big jump to the small screen in BBC ThreeNormal People,which became a huge success. In 2022, he also starred in his first short film,Drifting.
In 2021, he joinedOlivia Colmanand Maggie Gyllenhall on her directional debut in Netflix’sThe Lost Daughter, which was very well-received not only because of the story and the director’s work, but also because of Mescal and Coleman’s performances.
2022 was a busy year too, since the actor was a part three interesting projects,God’s Creatures,CarmenandAftersun, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, which ultimately went to Brendan Fraser for his performance onThe Whale.
Gladiator 2will be the first mainstream project in Mescal’s career, but it probably won’t be the last one. The actor has been part of the long list of candidates rumored to join Marvel Studios’Fantastic Fourmovie to play Johnny Storm. For now, he hasn’t been confirmed to be actually attached to the project, but he would definitely be a good choice for the role.
