Even though Paul Mescal is well-known in Hollywood, he is unsure if he is prepared for the prospect of being a household figure after Gladiator 2.
The actor, who has starred in hit films like Normal People, Aftersun recently spoke with The Times UK and said that, although he is unsure of the level of fame the Ridley Scott-directed sequel will bring, he will become “profoundly depressed” if it hurts his personal life.
“I don’t know what the difference will be,” Mescal said. “Maybe that’s naive? Is it just that more people will stop you in the street? I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true. I’ll have an answer next year, but if [the film] impacts my life in that way, I’ll be in a bad spot. I’d have to move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.”
The Oscar-nominated actor stated that he is in the business because he is enthusiastic about acting and that he takes his role “very seriously.” He therefore gets a little uncomfortable when he sees social media and the quantity of followers people have being used to determine casting.
“What are we doing this for?” Mescal asked. “It scares me greatly. Acting should never be reduced to numbers of Instagram followers.”
He added, “Over the last few years, people have been talking about films and TV shows as content. That’s a filthy word. It’s not ‘content’, it’s fucking work. I’m not being snobby, but there are two concurrent industries. One that works with a lack of care and artistic integrity. Go nuts, make stuff with Instagram followers as a factor, whatever … But the other is what’s always been there, the craft of film-making, directing, lighting and production design. That keeps artists alive. And audiences want to be challenged.”
Gladiator 2, which opens in theatres on November 22, stars Mescal opposite Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Connie Nielsen.
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