Denzel Washington explains why he was impressed with Paul Mescal’s performance inGladiator II. Mescal plays Lucius Verus, the son of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) in the long-awaited sequel.Gladiator II’s castalsofeatures many new characters, including Macrinus (Washington), a former slave and current power broker who seeks to control Rome, and to use Lucius' vengeful rage to his advantage.
While speaking withGQ,Washington discussed how Mescal was easy to work with because of his natural acting talent. He emphasized how well-suited Mescal is to the role of Lucius and how he enjoyed sharing many scenes with him in the Ridley Scott-directed sequel. Washington even praised Mescal’s acting in moments where he was simply standing and not delivering Lucius' lines. Check out Washington’s comments below:
[Mescal] knows what he’s doing, he knows how to do it. It’s easy to work off of him because he’s giving you something. There’s a quiet dignity and a strength and intelligence that he has, even just when he’s standing there.
What This Means For Gladiator II
Paul Mescal Is A Fitting Choice To Play Lucius
Washington’s praise of Mescal adds further anticipation to the already highly-anticipated sequel. Much of the discussion about Mescal leading up toGladiator IIhas revolved around the physical transformation he underwent to develop the physique of a gladiator. While this physicality is an undeniably important part of Lucius' character, Washington makes it clear that Mescal’s acting is also strong, andwill give Lucius a dignified and stoic presence.
Why Gladiator 2 Recast Lucius
Gladiator 2 turns the story to focus on Lucius, but the sequel recasts the original actor Spencer Treat Clark with Paul Mescal replacing him.
It sounds as ifMescal’s performance will be a natural followup to Crowe playingMaximus in the originalGladiator.Maximus also had a dignified and stoic presence, even when he was mortally wounded by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). This will make Lucius a force to be reckoned with both inside and outside the Colosseum, as he follows in Maximus' footsteps and challenges the corrupt authority that has risen to power since his father’s death.
Our Take On Denzel Washington’s Comments
Lucius And Macrinus' Relationship Will Be One Of The Best Parts Of Gladiator II
Given the originalGladiator’s perfect ending, there has naturally been skepticism aboutGladiator II. However,the more information that has been revealed about the sequel, including Washington’s comments, the more promising it seems to be. I was looking forward to the scenes with Macrinus because of Washington, but now I am also looking forward to seeing him interacting with Lucius. Macrinus isGladiator II’s equivalent of Proximo (Oliver Reed), although Macrinus seems like he will be more developed and more ambitious than Proximo.
Oliver Reed passed away before filming onGladiatorwas completed.
While Lucius is all but guaranteed to have his revenge against General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and be victorious, Macrinus' fate is more unpredictable. Their interests align in challenging General Acacius, Emperor Geta (Joseph Quinn), and Emperor Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). If these enemies are defeated, Lucius and Macrinus may find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict in Rome. This possibilitymakes the scenes between Mescal and Washington even more exciting, with the dynamic between their characters being essential toGladiator II’s story.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
