Paul Mescal kissed Pedro Pascal while filming Gladiator II fight scene
Paul Mescal kissed Pedro Pascal while filming a Gladiator II fight scene (Paramount)
Paul Mescal has revealed that he improvised a kiss with Pedro Pascal while the pair were getting sweaty for a Gladiator II fight scene.
In the latest edition of: ‘Show it to me, Rachel, show me to me please’ news, it turns out that while filming the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, stars Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal got more into Ancient Roman character than we might have thought.
Released in 2000, the original Gladiator told a brutal and bloody story of honour and betrayal, led by Russell Crowe as Roman General Maximus Meridius.
24 years later, and Gladiator II will star All of Us Strangers heartthrob Mescal as Maximus’s son, who has his own quest for vengeance kicked into gear by the actions of Pascal’s Marcus Acacius.
None of that really matters though, because the Gladiator II press train has already begun confirming the amount of sweat, gleaming muscles and homoerotic moments that one could hope for from the film; including a cheeky snog.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the pair revealed that the improvised moment – which devastatingly, reportedly hasn’t made it into the final cut – involved Mescal giving his opposite a smooch on the forehead at the end of what we can only assume was a very intense sword fight.
“There was a moment when we were rehearsing my fight scene with Pedro, and I had an idea towards the end of the scene to kiss Pedro on the forehead,” Mescal told the publication.
“I did it in one of the takes, and then we’re getting the radio messages back to Ridley [in video village], and I was like, ‘Ridley: Kiss on the forehead, did you like it? Yay or nay?’
“There was radio silence for a second. His radio crackles back, and [Ridley] goes, ‘I’m afraid I did.'”
Yeah, us too.
Pascal added in separate article by the publication: “I am really excited for everyone to see Paul. I’m sorry, but it has to be said, [he is] sensational in the movie, and pretty easy on the eyes.”
The Last of Us star and former internet daddy thrilled fans last month by sharing some pictures of the film.
The latest trailer confirmed that Mescal’s character was, indeed, the son of Crowe’s original protagonist, and also showed Mr Pedro Pascal looking ever-so-evil as he ransacks a town – and Mescal in what we can only describe as a leather skirt.
Gladiator II co-stars Denzel Washington as former slave Macrinus, Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, and Joseph Quinn as emperor Geta. Gay veteran of stage and screen Derek Jacobi plays senator Gracchus.
Gladiator II is due to be released on 22 November.
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