November 03, 2024
Paul Mescal admitted he was nervous about working with Ridley Scott in Gladiator II. However, the legendary filmmaker quickly calmed his nerves before shooting.
He recalled the incident on The Graham Norton Show and said the team was preparing to shoot in Malta.
But he, on the other hand, was feeling nervous because he was working for the first time with the Oscar-winning filmmaker.
“He comes in with a cigar, and we’re all just sitting there," the 28-year-old said.
“I was absolutely ******* myself. He looks at me and he goes, ‘Are you nervous?’ and I didn’t know what the appropriate answer was, so I was like, ‘Argh,'" he continued.
With his quick gesture, Paul recalled, “And he was like, bang, ‘Your nerves are no ****** good to me’.
“So he marches us out, cameras are turning over. The blessing of the troops was the first scene that we shot, and that was what we walked into," the Aftersun star said.
“And I think that’s part of Ridley’s genius, where he’s like, ‘We’re on this ride together. Let’s not waste any time,'" Paul concluded.