Paul Mescal leads the almighty Gladiator sequel, and he sat down with Melissa Nathoo to talk Denzel Washington, Ridley Scott, F1 and biting a monkey. Report by Nathoom. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00I haven't been in that environment where I've taken a chunk out of a monkey's arm.
00:03I mean I have to say Ferrari back when I had muscles.
00:05There's stuff that he's said in the last little while that I'm like recording it.
00:09Paul good to see you again.
00:10You too.
00:10You did it.
00:11We did it.
00:11You did it.
00:12Did walk up through the press day.
00:14Got that, got through that.
00:16And just one of the biggest films that we've seen in like such a long time.
00:20Yeah.
00:20I know everyone's talked to you about your transformation into Lucius.
00:24How long did the de-transformation take?
00:27Because I think I saw in Japan I think it was you're pointing to your billboard.
00:32You're like back when I had muscles.
00:34It came off very quickly because I had to lose a lot of weight for the film that I shot
00:38straight after.
00:39So it was like six, seven weeks, 10 kilos.
00:43Not fun.
00:44Way less fun than putting the muscle on let me tell you.
00:47Man I wish it came off that easy for me.
00:50You work very closely with Denzel though in here as well who I love that man.
00:54He's just such a legend and I'm sure like you've grown up with him.
00:57He does obviously give Lucius compliments in the film like good arms all that.
01:01Did he give you any actual compliments in real life?
01:05The compliment was just like how he like he's been incredibly generous with his comments
01:10now that we've been talking but like it's a weird thing like when you're filming it's a very
01:16and the way that Ridley works it's so fast you're not kind of sitting around
01:19patting each other on the back and I'm certainly not.
01:21He doesn't need to hear from me it's like Denzel you're great.
01:24But if Denzel gave me a compliment I'd be going on my tombstone.
01:27Yeah there's stuff that he said in the last little while that I'm like
01:31recording it all it all down but yeah we just what I loved about it is that
01:37as abnormal as it would seem that working process was it just felt normal.
01:43Like it felt like two actors going to work which is not something that I probably expected to
01:48happen but of course when it happened it's the thing that makes the most sense.
01:51I did think I did wonder I was like how is this for you because
01:55you obviously saw the first film when you were young very young yeah you don't imagine that
01:59you'll be in the sequel leading it when you're that much older so working with Ridley and doing
02:05this did it was it what you expected or was it more or was it totally different?
02:10It's nothing like I could have expected it's nothing that I anticipated it was just
02:15I don't know the thing that I'll take away from it regard like film aside is the relationship
02:20that I now have with Ridley and the fact that I've been directed by him.
02:24And there's more to come which we're very excited about as well.
02:27I'm also very excited about the collaboration with Ferrari because I'm
02:31the biggest F1 fan and I saw you in Austin it was wasn't it when you're with Carlos and
02:36Charles are you into F1 do you know?
02:38I love F1.
02:38Do you?
02:39Yeah yeah yeah absolutely.
02:40Who are you supporting?
02:41I mean I have to say Ferrari.
02:42Have they have they spoken to you much like did you get spend much time with them?
02:45We've spent like a morning a full like three or four hours with the boys yeah they're really sound.
02:51I want more Charles and Carlos content and we're put with Paul as well.
02:55Yeah well I'll work on us.
02:56Thank you that would be that would be great and hopefully in Vegas as well.
02:59I'm very as you can see yes I'm very excited about this collaboration.
03:04What I did love in the film though is with the uh monkey antics we'll we'll call them
03:13when you are sitting around with the rest of the gladiators how they start mocking you.
03:18Which I was really surprised how well your character took that I thought he could fly
03:23off the handle.
03:24How are you?
03:24If your friends start mocking you for stuff which I'm sure every you know everyone does
03:29how are you?
03:30Are you good?
03:31I think I'm able to take it.
03:32I think I'm able I think actually I'd be similar to Lucius in that moment maybe.
03:38Is that true?
03:39Because you must give them plenty of stuff that they can mock you like you know.
03:43I mean I haven't been in that environment where I've taken a chunk out of a monkey's arm and my
03:47friends have taken the piss out of me for it but if that was true maybe I'd be like Lucius.
03:54Now you have.
03:55Yeah yeah.
03:55Now you have and how much does like obviously we've had we've heard from critics like what
04:01they think of the film but the public I was going to say how much does it mean to you?
04:08This is a film like there's films that I've made where the critic response is like super
04:15important because it's like a film for critical attention.
04:19This is a film like very much focused on an audience's experience so like you hope for
04:25reviews to be positive but ultimately the biggest critic will be the mass general audience I think.
04:33So I'm really excited for them to see it and I also think it's a film that Ridley has made with
04:38general population and audience at the centre of his mind.
04:41And just the whole experience like what's going to stay with you from this whole thing?
04:47Ridley.
04:48Just Ridley?
04:49Ridley like I just like absolutely adore the man.
04:52I think if you'd said to me in drama school that like I was going to lead one of his films
04:58I just of course I wouldn't have believed you.
05:01And that aside like he's one of my friends and I just never thought that I'd get to say that.
05:05Yeah it's so nice.
05:06Imagine being able to say Ridley Scott's my friend and Denzel Washington's my friend
05:11and Pedro Pascal's my friend.
05:13No I'm a lucky lucky boy.
05:15Yeah it's incredible.
05:17I'm very happy for you because just seeing that rise as well like it's been.
05:21Been a while.
05:22It's been beautiful for us to watch as well so I'm excited for you.
05:27Thanks very much.
05:27And excited for more F1.
05:29Yeah yeah yeah.
05:31Please give me all the content.
05:32Yeah yeah yeah I will.
05:34See you later.
05:35Bye bye.