Mescal shows off his muscles

New Gladiator wanted to “look like a warrior”

Paul Mescal follows in the footsteps of Russell Crowe in "Gladiator 2".(Bild: APA/AFP/Adrian DENNIS)

The new "Gladiator" flexes his muscles. The first photos of the film published by "Vanity Fair" this week show that Paul Mescal's hard training has paid off. In an interview, however, Paul Mescal revealed that he was worried beforehand that he looked "more like an underwear model than a warrior".

The 28-year-old actor has landed the lead role in the sequel to Sir Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning epic from 2000. To play Lucius Verus in ancient Rome, he had to look "big and strong" - and Paul Mescal wanted his muscles to be more than just aesthetic.

Not an underwear model, but a warrior
He told "Vanity Fair": "I just wanted to be big and strong and look like someone who can do a bit of damage when the shit hits the fan."

When training hard, however, he always had a worry at the back of his mind, Mescal continued. "I also think that sometimes when you're striving for the perfect look, you can look more like an underwear model than a warrior..." 

Of course, he also gets a lot of attention for his new muscles, he admitted. But that was never his primary intention. "The muscles start to grow, and that can be seen as aesthetic in some ways, but it has something to do with feeling strong in your body, which just makes you feel different. You perform differently. It has a psychological effect on you that's useful for the movie."

"Brick wall Paul"
Co-star Pedro Pascal is also impressed by Mescal's transformation. "I call him Brick Wall Paul. He's become so strong. I'd rather throw myself off a building than have to fight him again," joked the 49-year-old.

He continued: "To be up against someone so fit, so talented and so much younger. Apart from the fact that Ridley is an absolute genius, Paul is a big reason why I would put my poor body through this experience."