Paul Mescal Says It Was 'Fun' Getting Ripped forGladiator IIEven Though 'I Like to Drink, and I Like to Smoke'

Mar. 15, 2025

Paul Mescal as Lucius in “Gladiator II”.Photo:Cuba Scott/Paramount Pictures

Cuba Scott/Paramount Pictures

Paul Mescalsays it was “fun” getting ripped to play Lucius, the former heir to the Roman empire, in the upcoming historical epic,Gladiator II.“I ate a lot of chicken and lifted heavy things,” Mescal, 28, joked during an Oct. 25 appearance onThe Graham Norton Show.While preparing to play the ex-royal who was forced into slavery, the Kildare, Ireland, native worked “with a trainer who circled me like a shark and said, ‘There is a canvas to work with.' “Mescal got so muscular that his costarPedro Pascalgave him a clever nickname. “I call himBrick Wall Paul… He gotsostrong. I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again,” Pascal, 49, toldVanity Fairin July.Paul Mescal and Peter Mensah in “Gladiator II”.Aidan Monaghan/Paramount PicturesMescal told Norton his trainer “went to town, and I saw him every day. It was fun.“However, theNormal Peoplestar admits to having some caveats when it came to his fitness regimen. “I did everything he asked, but I like to drink, and I like to smoke, so I drew a line in the sand where those were concerned.“Mescal showed off his abs — and then some — in thetrailer for the film, where he fights a rhino, among others, in the famed Roman Colosseum.But another of Norton’s guests profoundly disagreed with Mescal’s assessment of working out being “fun”:Eddie Redmayne— who recently underwent his own physical transformation, getting shredded to play an assassin in the Peacock seriesDay of the Jackal.(left) Paul Mescal; (right) Eddie Redmayne.Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Mike Marsland/WireImage“I profoundly disagree with Paul – it was not fun, it was horrendous,” theFantastic Beastsalum, 42, said. “You read a scene in the script that says, ‘He is topless, sinuous and ripped,' and you think, ‘Oh f—, here comes the chicken diet.’ “Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Saoirse RonanandDenzel Washington— who also stars inGladiator II— appeared on the episode as well. Mescal admitted that he was intimidated meeting the legendary Washington, 69.“It was a big day in my life – it was amazing,” he recalled. “I spent the first day thinking, ‘I must go introduce myself to him’ and I stood there for several minutes before I decide, ‘Not today.’ The next day I decided to be a brave boy!“The hotly anticipated sequel to theRussell Croweepic comes 24 years after the original 2000Gladiatorfilm — which wonBest Picture at the Academy Awards.Gladiator IIopens in theaters on Nov. 22.

Paul Mescalsays it was “fun” getting ripped to play Lucius, the former heir to the Roman empire, in the upcoming historical epic,Gladiator II.

“I ate a lot of chicken and lifted heavy things,” Mescal, 28, joked during an Oct. 25 appearance onThe Graham Norton Show.

While preparing to play the ex-royal who was forced into slavery, the Kildare, Ireland, native worked “with a trainer who circled me like a shark and said, ‘There is a canvas to work with.' "

Mescal got so muscular that his costarPedro Pascalgave him a clever nickname. “I call himBrick Wall Paul… He gotsostrong. I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again,” Pascal, 49, toldVanity Fairin July.

Paul Mescal and Peter Mensah in “Gladiator II”.Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

Mescal told Norton his trainer “went to town, and I saw him every day. It was fun.”

However, theNormal Peoplestar admits to having some caveats when it came to his fitness regimen. “I did everything he asked, but I like to drink, and I like to smoke, so I drew a line in the sand where those were concerned.”

Mescal showed off his abs — and then some — in thetrailer for the film, where he fights a rhino, among others, in the famed Roman Colosseum.

But another of Norton’s guests profoundly disagreed with Mescal’s assessment of working out being “fun”:Eddie Redmayne— who recently underwent his own physical transformation, getting shredded to play an assassin in the Peacock seriesDay of the Jackal.

(left) Paul Mescal; (right) Eddie Redmayne.Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Mike Marsland/WireImage

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Mike Marsland/WireImage

“I profoundly disagree with Paul – it was not fun, it was horrendous,” theFantastic Beastsalum, 42, said. “You read a scene in the script that says, ‘He is topless, sinuous and ripped,' and you think, ‘Oh f—, here comes the chicken diet.’ "

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Saoirse RonanandDenzel Washington— who also stars inGladiator II— appeared on the episode as well. Mescal admitted that he was intimidated meeting the legendary Washington, 69.

“It was a big day in my life – it was amazing,” he recalled. “I spent the first day thinking, ‘I must go introduce myself to him’ and I stood there for several minutes before I decide, ‘Not today.’ The next day I decided to be a brave boy!”

The hotly anticipated sequel to theRussell Croweepic comes 24 years after the original 2000Gladiatorfilm — which wonBest Picture at the Academy Awards.

Gladiator IIopens in theaters on Nov. 22.

source: people.com