Gladiator 2 star Denzel Washington shares glowing praise for Paul Mescal and the tough job of following Russell Crowe’s performance. Serving as a sequel to Gladiator (2000), Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 picks up almost two decades after Maximus’ (Crowe) death, following Lucius (Mescal) as he becomes a hero of the Colosseum. Washington stars in the film as Macrinus, who has been described as an arms dealer, and he seemingly becomes a crucial figure in Lucius’ journey along with Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius.
In a recent interview with Variety, Washington is asked about Mescal and Pascal and their performances in Gladiator 2. Washington calls both actors “Great,” but stresses that Mescal, in particular, lives up the high standards that Crowe set with his performance as Maximus in the original movie. Washington jokes that his role, by comparison, was fairly easy, and reveals that a new trailer for the film is arriving on September 23. Read his full comment below:
Not good. Great. Both of them. It’s a hard act to follow, and Paul pulled it off. He’s his own gladiator. I didn’t have to do anything but this [sips water with pinky up]. That was my job. Just twirl the glass, twirl the goblet, and hold whatever I had in my other hand. And make sure I don’t step on my gown. A new trailer [for “Gladiator 2”] comes out on the 23rd. It’s epic.
Scott’s Original Movie Sets The Bar For Success Very High
Gladiator is one of the most beloved entries in Scott’s expansive filmography. The film earned positive reviews from critics and currently sports an 80% critics score and 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition to being nominated for 12 Oscars and taking home the statue for Best Picture, Gladiator was also a box office smash hit, grossing $465.4 million worldwide. The sword-and-sandals epic is arguably responsible for catapulting Crowe to fame and making him a household name, and he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
All of that is to say that there’s a lot of pressure on Scott’s sequel, and it will be challenging for the film to live up to the original. As the face of the film and the lead of the Gladiator 2 cast, much of the burden falls on Mescal, who has never made a film of this size before or been tested in this way as a Hollywood leading man. Washington’s comment is a positive sign that Mescal is up to this task.
Our Take On Washington’s Praise For Mescal In Gladiator 2
Lucius Is A First For Mescal
Now, it should be said that Washington wouldn’t criticize Mescal or Gladiator 2 while doing press for the project. As an actor, it’s part of his job to help sell the movie. Still, however, as one of the foremost acting talents of a generation, Washington’s comments hold weight, and him sharing praise for Mescal and Pascal is worth taking seriously.
Mescal has played mostly dramatic roles in smaller projects thus far, and Gladiator 2 will mark the first time he’s taking on an immensely physical performance in a major blockbuster. If the film succeeds and his performance works, it’s very possible that Mescal will be taking on more such roles in the future. While audiences will ultimately be the judges of whether Mescal’s Lucius is a worth successor to Crowe, Washington clearly has confidence that the younger star has what it takes to lead Gladiator 2 to success.
Source: Variety
