Paul Mescal has confirmed that he will be fighting baboons in a scene for the upcoming Gladiator 2 movie. The Irish actor spoke about the experience of working on the film with Ridley Scott on the red carpet at the BAFTA Film Awards, where he is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in All Of Us Strangers. Mescal praised Scott’s work and emphasised that working on the Gladiator follow-up was an honour.
Although Mescal declined to give away any spoilers, he admitted that he was extremely proud of the work he and Scott had accomplished together. The Irishman also joked with interviewer Alex Zane about withholding any spoilers, adding that the public could expect an impressive performance from the cast. Speaking about the rumour of him fighting baboons, Mescal laughed and confirmed that it was indeed a part of the film and had been mentioned to him by Scott himself.
Gladiator 2 has been a highly anticipated sequel movie since its announcement in 2021, with Mescal reportedly in talks to join the cast from January 2023. The film will also feature Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington alongside Mescal. Despite the hype surrounding the sequel, the cast has remained quiet about the specifics surrounding Gladiator 2 until recently.
Mescal confirmed on social media that he had finished shooting the film in January but did not provide further details. The Normal People actor has previously spoken about the upcoming film, revealing that he received a call from Scott while starring in A Streetcar Named Desire. He recalled his excitement upon receiving the offer to join the cast, saying he was thrilled at the chance to work with the renowned filmmaker.
Scott, for his part, has praised Mescal for his performance in Normal People and said that he was instrumental in the decision to cast the Irishman in Gladiator 2. The director said that he kept thinking about Mescal as he was working on the script and was pleased to have him on board. With the release date still to be announced, fans will have to continue to wait for more details surrounding the much-anticipated sequel
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