Scoop of the Day
During a Paramount screening, the cast of Gladiator II—including Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, and Fred Hechinger—shared behind-the-scenes insights from their experience filming Ridley Scott‘s highly anticipated sequel. Here’s a sneak peek at what to expect as they introduce the film’s key characters.
Denzel Washington Joins the Cast
Denzel Washington portrays a wealthy arms dealer and former gladiator with ambitions to take control of Rome. In a recent Q&A, he described his character as “misunderstood” and even referred to him as “a nice fellow.” He added, “He manipulates everyone—he’d use his mother, even his own children. He’s exhausted his soul and has none left. He’s in bed with the devil.”
Washington also noted that the filming experience went smoothly, crediting director Ridley Scott for creating life-sized sets in Malta that enhanced the production.
He added, “When you walked around, you were in Rome. It felt like there were 10,000 extras and horses—it was pure make-believe, like playing. Just put on the gear and the costume and go. That’s how I saw it. I’d put on the outfit, the rings, and go wild.”
What to Expect In the Upcoming Film
In Gladiator II, Paul Mescal stars as a grown-up Lucius, the nephew of Emperor Commodus from the original film. Lucius returns to Rome after being enslaved and forced into the brutal world of gladiators, now fighting for both power and revenge. Despite his hardships, he is determined to restore Rome’s former glory and uplift its people.
Reflecting on the role, Mescal said, “Lucius represented something new for me—someone who is very proactive throughout the two and a half hours. I hadn’t had the chance to play a character like that before, and it felt like something within me that hadn’t been seen yet.”
Paul Mescal also discussed his physical and emotional transformation for the role, joking that he initially had a “naive idea” of simply playing a gladiator who looked relatively normal. As the character evolved, he came to view him as a dog—someone fighting fiercely for survival, indifferent to whether he lived or died for much of the film.
