Gladiator II director Ridley Scott made a last-minute decision to let Paul Mescal perform some intense action. Mescal, who plays Lucius Verus, son of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), underwent extensive physical training to fully prepare to lead Gladiator IIthe cast. The sequence features a great action spectacle as Lucius fights other gladiators, General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and ferocious animals in the Colosseum.
When speaking with Variety, Scott and Mescal discussed how the actor ended up performing a complex stunt during the film’s climax.. The sequence involves Lucius riding a horse while chasing Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and Mescal. ‘trained for fucking months’ to remove it. However, Scott changed his mind about Mescal performing the stunt because of what happened to actor Keith Carradine during a similar stunt in Scott’s feature film directorial debut. The Duelists. Despite your worries, Scott finally gave in and let Mescal do it. Read Scott and Mescal’s comments below:
Paulo Mescal: Two weeks before the scene, Ridley said, “You’re not doing this,” and I said, “What the fuck?” and we had this argument.
Ridley Scott: And at the end of [The Duellists] shoot, for the last shot, Keith [Carradine] says, “Can I ride this damn horse then?” Twenty minutes later, the horse ran him into a tree and he broke his femur.
Mezcal: I bothered him constantly. And then the day before he said, “OK, you can do the stunt, but if you leave, it’ll be two Bentleys.” No Bentleys needed, thank God.
What this means for Gladiator II
Paul Mescal and Ridley Scott are a strong team
The physicality that Mescal brings to Lucius not only gives him the appearance of a formidable soldier and gladiator, but also contributes to creating the thrilling action of the sequence. As Lucius comes into conflict with many of the Gladiator IIFor Lucius’s characters, it is necessary to appear convincing that he is an incomparable warrior, capable of defeating the best fighters of Ancient Rome, even General Acacius, who trained under Lucius’ father. Mescal’s mix of acting, stunt work and physical prowess will be on display in the Colosseum and during the climactic chase of Macrinus.
In terms of behind-the-scenes impact, Scott’s final decision demonstrates the trust he has in his actors and in Mescal specifically.. The partnership they established has proven to be strong, as they are already scheduled to reunite in the next film The dog stars. Now that Mescal has proven his ability to perform difficult stunts, Scott can have confidence in Mescal to continue doing so when necessary. The dog starsand any other potential projects you will work on together in the future.
They tease an intriguing ending to the sequel
Mescal and Scott’s ambitious and creative drive make them a strong team. The original GladiatorThe ending is deeply satisfying, but Mescal and Scott’s Comments Tease an Equally Emotional Finale for the Sequel as Lucius’ battles go beyond the Colosseum and involve the pursuit of Macrinus despite their alliance at the beginning of the story. Gladiator IIThe action sequences are about to be even more impressive than the first film as they build to a memorable conclusion.
Source: Variety