Paul Mescal Breaks Down His Grueling ‘Gladiator 2’ Training Regimen

Paul Mescal dropped a few exciting tidbits about his Gladiator 2 training regimen during a conversation with Natalie Portman for Variety’s Actors on Actors series. Mescal is currently on the awards circuit promoting his performance in All of Us Strangers, but he’s more consumed by a role he’s yet to complete.

Mescal was announced earlier this year as the star of Ridley Scott’s follow-up to his 2000 epic, which starred Russell Crowe. The Normal People breakout will play the older version of Lucius (Spencer Treat Clark in the original), nephew of Roman Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Asked by Portman what it was like to prepare for such a rigorous role overseen by the notoriously exacting Scott, Mescal revealed it was about as hard as you would think.

“Lots of protein shakes,” the Aftersun Oscar nominee said of his preparation. “It’s a big departure from everything that I’ve done before, and so unbelievably fun,” he continued.

“It feels like just exercising a totally different skill set,” Mescal explained of the physically demanding shoot. “I’m having a ball. We’re going to finish [filming] it soon.”

Mescal previously spoke with Esquire about how “stressed” he’s been during the Gladiator 2 shoot. Filling Crowe’s shoes in the sequel to one of the most renowned modern epics has been anything but easy.

“I can’t tell you how stressed I am talking about that film in particular,” Mescal said, “because it’s definitely the biggest one I’ve done. I feel really excited, but, like, it’s difficult to get away from the legacy of the [original] film a bit,” he admitted.

“I think it’s really well written and it pays homage to the first one,” the actor revealed of the script, “but it’s very much something that I think I can step into and make comfortably my own.”

Gladiator 2 is set for release on November 22, 2024. Mescal’s next film, All of Us Strangers, arrives in cinemas on December 22.