- Paul Mescal is the star of Gladiator II
- In a chat for Variety’s Actors on Actors, he revealed he was ‘excited’ to change his body for the movie – but drew the line at wearing a wig!
- Mescal is also to star as Paul McCartney in an upcoming project about The Beatles, according to Sir Ridley Scott
Paul Mescal is the star of Gladiator II – and his acting skills aren’t the only thing that have been wowing theater goers.
The Irish actor, 28, dramatically changed his appearance for his role as Lucius in the Ridley Scott sequel.
Gaining a reported 18-22 pounds of muscle for the flick, Mescal has now opened up about his decision to change his body for the role.
In a chat with Ariana Grande for Variety’s Actors on Actors series this week, Mescal admitted, “I initially decided when I’d first been cast, very naively, ‘I’m just going to go for a normal gladiator look, the way my body is is the way my body is’. But then I was like, ‘…That’s not the film we’re making.’
“So I went into the gym, but I hadn’t tried on the costumes yet. And I think when I put the costumes on, that was the moment for me when I was like, ‘This is miles away from anything I’ve ever done.’ I didn’t recognize the way my body was in the clothes that I was wearing, and that created a distance from who you feel like the world expects you to be as a performer, and that got me excited.”
However, while Mescal viewed the change to his body shape as a necessary part of the role, he drew the line at changing his hair.
He continued, “Then we had some dodgy wig fittings, and I was like… I’m not a fan of a wig. 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.’”
While we’re sure the wig pictures would go down a storm on social media, Mescal revealed he will never let the pictures see the light of day – not even to Grande, 31, who begged to see them.
“No, nobody is – ever!” Mescal laughed.
Mescal confirmed for Beatles biopic
However, if Mescal isn’t keen to don a dodgy wig, his next role might not be suitable.
On December 10, it was confirmed by Scott, 87, that Mescal would be performing as Paul McCartney in an upcoming run of biopics about The Beatles.
During a conversation with fellow filmmaker Christopher Nolan at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, 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.”
The films, which will be directed by Sam Mendes, also have Barry Keoghan attached to them, as the fellow Irishman is set to play drummer Ringo Starr.
