Paul Mescal says he’ll be “profoundly depressed” if ‘Gladiator 2’ makes him even more famous
Paul Mescal is hoping he doesn’t get any more famous than he already is.
Mescal – who has starred in Aftersun, All Of Us Strangers, Normal People and Foe – is next set to star in Ridley Scott‘s Gladiator 2 alongside Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Connie Nielsen.
With Gladiator 2 gearing up to be the most mainstream project Mescal has been attached to so far, it will likely introduce a new audience to the gifted Irish actor. With that attention will come new heights of fame; something Mescal isn’t too eager about.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Mescal shared that he isn’t sure what differences Gladiator 2 will introduce into his life but that he hopes it doesn’t put him in a “bad spot.”
“I don’t know what the difference will be. Maybe that’s naive? Is it just that more people will stop you in the street? I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true. I’ll have an answer next year, but if [the film] impacts my life in that way, I’ll be in a bad spot. I’d have to move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.”
Elsewhere in his chat with The Sunday Times, Mescal opened up about playing a gay character as a straight man. He argued that straight actors should be allowed to play queer roles – but on one condition.
“It depends who’s in charge of telling the story,” he said. “The issue is that there have been so many queer performances in cinema that have been offensive, but that’s because the filmmakers and the actors have been careless. I don’t think this film exists in that conversation whatsoever. And that’s it.”
The actor is due to star in All Of Us Strangers with Andrew Scott (Fleabag, Sherlock), where the pair will engage in an on-screen romance. It is set to be directed by Andrew Haigh (Looking, 45 Years).
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Surej Singh
NME
