- Paul Mescal is one of the world’s most in-demand actors
- And now the star has been snapped up for a new Beatles project
- Sir Ridley Scott confirmed Mescal’s involvement
He’s one of Ireland’s most in-demand exports – and now Paul Mescal has been confirmed for yet another movie role.
The booked and busy actor, 28, has been confirmed to play Paul McCartney in an upcoming series of biopics about The Beatles – by none other than Sir Ridley Scott.
While Mescal is yet to corroborate the news himself, his Gladiator II director, 87, opened up about the casting.
During a conversation with fellow filmmaker Christopher Nolan at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles on December 10, Scott said that he plans for his next project to be the thriller feature The Dog Stars.
When Nolan questioned him about Mescal’s role in the movie – as this had already been reported – Scott confirmed that the actor is set to work with him.
But Scott then corrected himself, and explained that Mescal’s schedule may prevent the pair from reuniting on the new film – as the actor is set to star in The Beatles movies as bassist McCartney.
“Yes,” Scott said in response to the question about whether Mescal would star in The Dog Stars. He then added, “Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”
Keoghan will star alongside Mescal
The news of Mescal’s casting comes after fellow Irishman Barry Keoghan was also confirmed for the biopic.
The Saltburn star, 32, is set to portray drummer Ringo Starr in the flick – a role which Starr himself actually revealed.
Last month, Starr, 84, was asked for his thoughts on the Oscar-nominated actor taking on the part.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”
Mescal shuns wigs
In another interview, Mescal opened up about some costume department gossip from Gladiator II.
In a chat with Ariana Grande for Variety’s Actors on Actors series this week, Mescal admitted that he didn’t initially want to change how his body looked in the drama, yet decided to as it felt right for the role.
But what he didn’t do was wear… a wig.
“Then we had some dodgy wig fittings, and I was like… I’m not a fan of a wig,” Mescal laughed. “They were big. And it wasn’t to do with the… we were working with the best hair and makeup team in the world, it was just that I don’t have a head for wigs.
“But there was also a thing when I was looking at it, and I started doing the choreography, and I was like, ‘I don’t want people coming in and fixing the things that are falling out of the back of my head’. But seeing myself in the costume and being in it was one of those moments where I was like, ‘I’m doing Gladiator II.’”
