Of all of them, the protagonist of this blockbuster is the young Paul Mescal who, at 28 years old, is destined to be the future big star of Hollywood. The British actor, who gained eight kilos of muscle for the film, plays Lucius, stepping into the sandals of his predecessor, Russell Crowe (60). During much of his childhood, the eldest of the three children of a policeman and a teacher had a great time playing with swords, so in a way, starring in Gladiator II has been like a dream come true.
He also holds dear the times he used to go with his father to a garden in March to see the first swallows of spring. "They remind me of him and my home, I suppose," he confesses, referring to the small tattoo he has on the inside of his left elbow.
Paul Mescal feels blessed. Since graduating seven years ago in acting from the Lis Academy of Trinity College Dublin, his career has taken off like wildfire. His breakthrough role was in the series Normal People, and before starring in the Roman story, his biggest professional achievement was in 2020 when the Rolling Stones chose him to star in the music video for the song Scarlet.
Born in Maynooth, west of Dublin, the actor became interested in acting as a teenager while studying primary school at Maynooth Post, where he played the lead role in The Phantom of the Opera. However, his energies were focused on sports, specifically on Gaelic football under-21, which he unfortunately had to give up after suffering a jaw injury. This problem led him to become even more interested in acting, and once he finished his studies, he landed various roles in several theater productions, such as The Great Gatsby. "I thought I would be very nervous about the play itself, but I was no more nervous compared to performing at university," he told the Irish Times.
Unlike other colleagues, he did not become an actor by chance, but his interest came late. He recalled in one of his interviews: "I wasn't one of those kids who wanted to act since I was 12. Not at all. In fact, my father used to act, I used to watch him in plays and I didn't feel any desire to be there, strange as it may seem."
Over time, and now a celebrity, Paul has begun to understand the true weight of fame because "when my mother sees me more on social media than in person, you realize that you have become public property. It becomes a problem. No one gave me a manual on how to deal with all this." Therefore, he has been stepping away from social media.
Regarding his love life, he has proven to be quite a seducer, although he does not like to delve into romantic matters. He has dated singer and songwriter Phoebe Bridgers (30), with whom he attended the Met Gala, later rumored to have dated Daisy Edgar Jones (26) - his co-star in Normal People, comedian and writer Ayo Edebiri (29), and Australian actress Sophie Wilde (26) with whom he attended the BAFTA gala, and he was even linked to Natalie Portman when they were seen smoking on the street shortly after her separation.
For now, the only certainty is that he is in love with Gracie Abrams (25), an American singer and songwriter, a friend of Taylor Swift (34) and the daughter of J. J. Abrams (58), director of Armageddon (1998), the Mission Impossible saga, and part of the Star Wars saga.