Paul Mescal on journey from 'Normal People' to 'Gladiator II': My job as an actor is same

New Delhi: Irish star Paul Mescal, who steps into the big arena with his headlining role in "Gladiator II" after breakout performances in "Normal People" and "Aftersun", says he felt a sense of relief when he realised that the nature of his job remained the same on the Ridley Scott-directed movie despite its scale.

The actor, 28, admits that he initially found it difficult to wrap his head around the film, Scott's ambitious follow-up to his 2000 classic, which won five Oscars, including best picture and best actor trophy for lead star Russell Crowe.

"It was something that was more difficult in prep to kind of wrap my head around. But once we got to work, once the camera started turning over and once we got on set, obviously, the scale of the sets are much bigger, I felt a deep sense of relief. I was like, 'Oh, my job as an actor is the exact same'," Mescal told PTI in a virtual interview from London.

"So, there was a lot of relief that came with it because I didn't know if that would be true," the actor said.

Mescal said, for him, "Gladiator II" is just a "different kind of film".

"Each film that I do comes with the same importance. I don't think you should ever step on a set if it's not the most important part of your life at that given moment. So making a film for USD 3 million versus a film for USD 200 million plus, it requires the same energy."

In the movie, he stars alongside cinema veterans like Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Connie Nielsen. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger round out the cast of the movie.

Scott is also counted amongst the greatest and most prolific directors in Hollywood with hits such as "Blade Runner", "Thelma & Louise", "Black Hawk Down", "Kingdom of Heaven", "American Gangster", "The Martian" and "Napoleon" to hit credit.

Asked about his experience working with two giants of Hollywood -- Scott and Washington, Mescal said it was both "challenging and inspiring".

"What I found so inspiring about it is that both of those men have been there and done that. They've reached the peaks of the industry that I adore and that there's no loss of appetite or work ethic with them. I was like if I can have a fraction of their careers when I'm their age, I would bite your hand off for it," the actor said.

Mescal is playing the role of Lucius, the young boy who was heir to the throne in the original "Gladiator" and is revealed to be the son of Maximus and Lucilla, played by Connie Nielsen, in Scott's return to a swords-and-sandals saga.

Exiled at a young age, Lucius has build a family in Numidia, a Roman province on the North African coast, but when it is invaded by the Roman empire, he becomes a gladiator at the Colosseum with hopes that he will one day avenge his family's murder.

"He (Lucius) has an innate hatred for what Rome represents because it's personal. He feels like he's been deserted by his mother, and now Rome is coming for his new family. So, he's got a clear opinion about what Rome means to him," the actor said.

Mescal said Scott gave him a free hand to develop the character in the highly-anticipated sequel.

"Lucius that we see in the first film is very different to Lucius because he's 20 years older. Like, he's only a boy in the first film. I kind of felt like I had a carte blanche to devise him anew."

What was fascinating for Mescal, who has become a critics favourite with his portrayal of deeply emotional and complex men in miniseries "Normal People" as well as indie hits "Aftersun" and "All of Us Strangers", was the fact that he found Lucius to be "equally vulnerable" like his previous characters.

"He's got a harder exterior because of the world that he lives in. Like, he can't afford to live in the world the same way (his characters) Connell ('Normal People'), Callum ('Aftersun') or Harry ('All of Us Strangers') live because the world is different.

"But ultimately, on a human level, the main thing that sticks to me is like, he's so deeply hurt by the death of his wife, which makes him incredibly vulnerable, and feeling like his mother has neglected him... (He's) somebody who's building that hard exterior to protect himself," he said.

"Gladiator II" will be released in India by Paramount Pictures India on November 15 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu in 4DX and IMAX.

Inputs from PTI