HE WASN'T the obvious choice for the movie; critics thought he was too lean, too young, and too inexperienced. Besides, he'd never worked on an action film, let alone one of such epic proportions. But Paul Mescal's powerful performance in Gladiator II is proving the prophets of doom wrong.
In Gladiator II—director Ridley Scott's long-awaited sequel to the 2000 blockbuster—Paul plays Lucius, the boy heir from the original film that made Russell Crowe a star. Following Maximus' death, Lucius' mother sends him away from the Roman Empire to the northern coast of Africa, where he builds a life and has a family. Things take a drastic turn when the Roman Empire invades the territory, leading him to become a gladiator at the Colosseum.
His sole aim: avenging his murdered family. Hollywood heart-throb Pedro Pascal steps into the role of Marcus Acacius, the ruthless general leading the Roman Empire's conquest of North Africa, while actor Denzel Washington plays Macrinus, a cunning strategist who becomes a mentor to Lucius. The star-studded film promises a pulse-pounding adventure with Paul at its fiery core.
Yet, despite his pivotal role, the 28-year-old actor found the transition to his first major leading role daunting. The $250 million (R4.5 billion) project required intense physical preparation; he gained nearly 10kg of muscle—and the pressure of performing alongside legends such as Denzel was huge. His nerves got the better of him on the first day of filming alongside Pedro (49) in Morocco, but the film's veteran director got him back on track. "Something settled for me when Ridley slapped me on the back and said, 'Your nerves are no f***ing good to me,'" Paul recalls. Right then he understood he had a job to do and had to get on with it. "Going from independent features to a blockbuster studio picture was intimidating," he says. "Until I realised acting is acting is acting, regardless of the context."
Denne historien er fra 5 December 2024-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
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Denne historien er fra 5 December 2024-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
OH BROTHER HE'S BRILLIANT
With glittering turns in Succession and A Real Pain, Kieran Culkin is no longer in anyone's shadow
ME & MY BOYS
Mom-of-three Rolene Strauss may not be getting much sleep these days but she's loving every second of her busy life
ESKOM SETS SOLAR DEADLINE
Power utility prioritises safety and performance
PAYING IT FORWARD WITH ROGER & SIYA
ONE'S a global tennis legend, the other's a South African rugby icon and when they get together magic happens. The dynamic duo of ROGER FEDERER and Springbok captain SIYA KOLISI recently wrapped up an inspiring week in Mzansi, during which local youngsters got to interact with their heroes one on one.
COURTING CONTROVERSY
Is Bianca Censori under the control of Kanye West - or is she a willing accomplice in one of the most in-your-face spectacles showbiz has ever seen?
WEAPON OF MASS DISTRACTION
Donald Trump looked less than impressed when Elon Musk brought his son, X, to a meeting in the Oval Office - especially when the four-year-old stole the show
I TRY TO BE MYSELF
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma chats to YOU about the pressures of being in the hot seat
SPORTS TALK - Sinner banned for doping
World No 1 tennis player JANNIK SINNER has been slapped with a three-month doping ban after testing positive for clostebol.
JUSTICE FOR MY FATHER
HE HAS a vivid memory of being in church as a little boy and hearing the congregation singing songs commemorating his father.
WANT TO BE A GOOD PARENT?
Stop trying to 'fix' your child, says the author of an eye-opening parenting book - sort out your own issues instead
