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  • 2 weeks ago
Stars Paul Mescal and Fred Hechinger reveal the 'physical tasks' required to take on Ridley Scott's incredible vision of Rome in 'Gladiator II.' In this direct chat, the two actors explain how they got in shape for the sequel to the iconic epic, the actors they'd love to work with in the future, and the one Australian animal they wouldn't like to wage war against.

Set almost two decades after, Lucius (Paul Mescal) — the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielson) lives with his wife in Numidia. Roman soldi
Transcript
00:00A koala, because they're so cute.
00:02I don't want to hurt that thing.
00:03Yeah, you don't want to...
00:04They're dangerous.
00:05Yeah, they're...
00:05They are dangerous.
00:12So, yeah, I'd like to hear about, I guess,
00:14the moment that you guys found out
00:15that you were going to be in Gladiator 2.
00:17Yeah, I was walking to the theater in London,
00:19phone call from my agents.
00:21Can't really remember the direct aftermath.
00:23Like, I remember, obviously, the excitement,
00:26but I can't remember what even the conversation was.
00:28Yeah.
00:29Yeah.
00:30I pulled over.
00:32I was driving, and the call came through the car
00:34because my phone was connected to the vehicle.
00:37And I just...
00:39The news was...
00:40Yeah, it was that thing where I was like,
00:43I have to park.
00:45And then after I got off the phone,
00:48I just sat in the car for a while.
00:50You know that there's this news,
00:52and you're excited to share it with people,
00:55but holding onto it for just a little bit...
00:57That's so nice.
00:57Before the world knows.
01:00Yeah.
01:00This is war!
01:02Real war!
01:06The odds are against you.
01:07The odds are always against me.
01:09Once you got an idea of who your characters were,
01:11what did you have to do to kind of flesh them out
01:14and prepare for the role?
01:15The same you would do with any role.
01:17It's like the job doesn't change just because it's a big film.
01:20You go to work, you look at the script,
01:22and you do the physical kind of tasks that are required to play the role.
01:25Preparation is...
01:26It's both incredibly practical and sturdy in that sense,
01:29and then also totally mysterious and different every time as well.
01:33Because you have to get ready and figure out how to embody the person
01:38and do them justice every time.
01:40Exactly.
01:40But the stuff that worked for the last one will never work for that one
01:43because there's always something very unique.
01:48You look ripped in the movie.
01:50Thanks.
01:51In terms of the fitness side of it, what did you...
01:53Like, how long did that take to get to that point?
01:55Yeah, I was doing the play at the time,
01:57so it actually was quite useful
01:59because I would have my days to myself.
02:01I was lucky that I had, like, I think it was five, six months,
02:04so it was just about consistency.
02:07It's like, don't miss a session even if you're feeling rough,
02:10but there was no kind of reinventing of the wheel.
02:12It's just like you've got to eat more food than you're normally used to
02:16and lift weights.
02:17And then how did you get in shape for your role?
02:19Thank you. It's about time you asked.
02:23You guys got to work with some huge names in this movie.
02:26In an ideal world,
02:27who's your kind of dream?
02:29I want to work with this person.
02:31I'd love to work with Michelle Williams.
02:33I think she's amazing.
02:35Anthony Hopkins.
02:36So many.
02:37Kate Blanchett came to mind.
02:40And I'm not just saying that because we're in Australia.
02:43I would say that anyway.
02:45And are there any genres that you guys haven't worked in yet
02:48but you would love to make a movie in?
02:51I'd love to do a musical.
02:53Right. You'd be great in a musical.
02:54I would love to do a musical.
02:55Yeah.
02:55Nothing kind of coming to mind.
02:57I think I'm happy to do whatever if I love the script.
03:00Any opportunity.
03:01Any opportunity to do something that I enjoy.
03:04Yeah.
03:04Do you have a musical background?
03:07It's been a little bit of time.
03:09I feel like that background might have faded.
03:11No, no.
03:12I mean like a little but not a lot.
03:13But I love it.
03:14I think when a musical like really works,
03:17it's just there's few feelings.
03:19It's like totally extraordinary.
03:21You're allowed to,
03:21you're kind of feeling at like 150%.
03:24Yeah, yeah.
03:24Everything's just dialed up.
03:25Yeah.
03:25Yeah.
03:27You have something in you.
03:29Rage.
03:32Never let it go.
03:35If you're in the Coliseum,
03:37something's coming at you.
03:38It's an Australian animal.
03:39What's the one that you would want to least tussle with?
03:42Least tussle with?
03:44A koala because they're so cute.
03:46I don't want to hurt that thing.
03:47Yeah, you don't want to.
03:48They're dangerous.
03:49Yeah.
03:49They are dangerous.
03:50I goat kangaroos.
03:51They're like tough animals.
03:53On the dim side, but like.
03:56Well, now you're going to have to fight them.
03:57Now you're going to have to.
03:57Yeah, I've just dissed the entire kangaroo community.
04:01All of their intelligence you came at.
04:03Come at me.
04:03If you're the emperor of Australia,
04:05what's your little cute animal that you have with you?
04:08Koala.
04:09Yeah, you set me up.
04:10You set me, you set you up.
04:11That's the answer.
04:12You're not going to fight someone.
04:13The logic tracks.
04:14They should be on your shoulder.
04:15Yeah.
04:20Can you pass me to dig Why?
04:20The way they do white.
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