Paul Mescal’s nose landed him a role of a lifetime!
The Irish actor resented the crooked shape of his nose most of his life, but it helped him land the leading role in the upcoming Gladiator II, and he’s grateful for it! Mescal’s recent appearance in the series adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People made him a breakout star!
Paul Mescal talks about getting cast in Gladiator II for his nose
In an interview with Vanity Fair, the young star revealed that he got the lead role in the Gladiator sequel due to a physical attribute—his nose! “My nose just is kind of Roman. So it’s useful in this context,” he said.
Mescal recalled that he “absolutely hated” his nose in secondary school and was often made off for it. But he is glad that it was “very, very useful when Ridley needed somebody to be in Gladiator II.”
The sequel to the action epic franchise—originally starring Russel Crowe as Maximum, who perished in the final combat against Commodus—will center around Lucius, played by Mescal. Lucius is the son of Lucilla, played by Connie Nielsen, who will reprise her role as daughter of Marcus Aurelius in the sequel.
Despite being the legitimate heir to one of the most powerful Roman Emperors, Lucius’s mother sent him to the civilization of Numidia on the northern coast of Africa to protect him from the corruption of Roman society.
However, he is ultimately found during a man-hunt led by Roman forces by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and brought to the Gladiator arena to fight. Only time will tell if he survives the battle or perishes like Maximus.
Pedro Pascal praises Mescal’s performance in Gladiator II
The All of Us Strangers actor taking on the epic franchise implied that he had to step into the shoes of Crowe’s Oscar-winning performance in the original film. No pressure! However, Mescal’s co-star, Pascal, warns people not to underestimate the young actor’s talents and physical prowess.
“It’s brutal, man. I call him Brick Wall Paul,” Pascal told Vanity Fair. He joked that he would rather jump off a tall building than fight with Mescal. “To go up against somebody that fit and that talented and that much younger….” he said before adding that apart from director Ridley Scott, it was Mescal who got him on board for the project.
The cast of Gladiator II also includes Denzel Washington, The White Lotus actor Fred Hechinger, and Stranger Things fame Joseph Quinn.
Gladiator II is set to hit theaters on November 22, 2024.
