Paul Mescal and Ridley Scott Fought Over ‘Gladiator 2’ Stunts

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As a seasoned cinephile with an affinity for tales of resilience and tenacity, I find myself utterly captivated by the saga of Paul Mescal and his audacious pursuit to perform his own stunts on the set of “Gladiator II.” The Irish actor’s relentless determination, backed by months of meticulous training, is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

It wouldn’t be wise to tell Paul Mescal that he can’t do something, especially if you’re someone as renowned as director Ridley Scott of Gladiator II. If you try to stop him from performing a stunt he’s spent months preparing for, be prepared for some heated discussions. And more often than not, Mescal will manage to convince you to let him do it, as that’s the essence of his determination and influence. Disregarding potential risks, he’ll carry on with authenticity.

In an interview with Variety, the Irish actor revealed that for the upcoming sequel to the original Gladiator film, he successfully persuaded Ridley Scott to allow him to perform his own horseback stunts. He employed a good deal of swearing and offered two Bentleys as incentive, should he fail.

No pressure, Paul!

When talking about his experience on the film set, the actor focused on an exciting instance featuring his character Lucius performing a stunt while riding a horse. This incident happened towards the end of the movie, where, following intense battles, Mescal’s character leaped onto a horse as he chased Macrinus (portrayed by Denzel Washington).

Why Did Paul Mescal And Ridley Scott Fight On The ‘Gladiator II’ Set?

The actor had meticulously prepared for several months to execute a particular scene, wanting to handle as many physically demanding aspects as he could, given the production’s insurance restrictions. Consequently, he felt disappointed when Scott opted against performing it personally.

Two weeks prior to the event, Ridley exclaimed, “‘You’re definitely not going through with it,’ to which I responded, ‘What in the world are you talking about?’ This led to a heated discussion between us.

The conflict between the duo originated from a hard-learned experience during the production of his 1977 debut film, “The Duellists“. In this movie, actor Keith Carradine similarly mounted a horse and rode off, but the scene was not without its complications. As Scott recounts, “at the conclusion of the shoot for the final shot, Keith [Carradine] asked, ‘May I ride this horse now?’, to which I agreed.” However, twenty minutes later, the horse collided with Carradine and he fractured his femur against a tree.

Ever since then, I, a movie enthusiast, have always followed a straightforward guideline when filming actors on horses: I only capture them once they’re securely seated. However, Mescal wasn’t satisfied with this arrangement, he wanted to perform the stunt himself. “I kept bugging him,” Mescal shared, “And then a day before, he says, ‘Alright, you can do the stunt, but if you fall, it’s two Bentleys!'” (Implying that I would have to buy him two expensive Bentley cars if I fell off the horse and got hurt.)

He got the scene done within a couple takes, without injury. “No Bentleys were required, thank f*ck,” he quipped. (Don’t worry, though: the duo have already reunited to do another film together, so there’s no ill will between actor and director.)

20 years following the initial movie, “Gladiator II” unfolds, centering around Lucius, the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s malevolent emperor Commodus, who secretly is Maximus’ (Russell Crowe’s character from the first film) son. The cast includes Pedro Pascal, Washington, Connie Nielson, Fred Hechinger, and Joseph Quinn. This epic is slated for a U.S. cinema release on November 22, 2024.

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2024-11-13 22:31