Paul Mescal explains why he didn’t reach out to Russell Crowe for ‘Gladiator II’ advice

Russell Crowe won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his towering performance in “Gladiator.” You might expect that Paul Mescal, star of “Gladiator II,” would reach out to him for advice on how to get into that 2nd century mindset. But Mescal never contacted Crowe, and in an interview with Extra alongside director Ridley Scott, Mescal explained why. Basically, it comes down to the simple fact that Crowe’s character Maximus and Mescal’s character Lucius are different people. “When I read the script I was like, ‘Oh, Lucius is a different entity,” the Academy Award-nominated “Aftersun” actor said.  

That doesn’t mean he would have nothing to talk about with Crowe, though. “I think what I would love to discuss with Russell is to trade war stories having completed things that are — we’ve gone through similar experiences with it. But I felt confident in having Ridley at the helm and the way I work as an actor. Because ultimately, I have to stand behind this entirely by myself. There’s no excuses. You can’t rely on anybody beyond the script, the director, and yourself. So you’ve got to become an island unto yourself, I think.”

“Why would Roger Moore call up Sean Connery and say I’m about to do [a James Bond movie]? What would he do that for?” Scott added. “It’s a silly question.” 

Previously, Crowe, who is not involved in the sequel, has expressed that “Gladiator II” makes him “slightly uncomfortable,” as he gets no say in how it will affect the legacy of his film. “I reflect back on the age I was when I made that film and all the things that came after it and the doors that particular movie opened for me,” he said. “So there’s definitely a tinge — and this is just being purely honest — a tinge of melancholy, a tinge of jealousy. Because I remember when I had tendons.”

“Gladiator II” opens in the U.S. on Nov. 22. It’s considered to be a strong contender for many Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Denzel Washington.