Paul Mescal Attends Gladiator II Premiere in Dublin

Irish celebrities and fans gathered for the premiere of Ridley Scott’s film Gladiator II at Dublin’s Lighthouse Cinema on Thursday. The movie features Kildare native Paul Mescal, portraying the character Lucius, alongside co-star and two-time Oscar recipient Denzel Washington. Sir Ridley’s initial film from 2000, which starred Russell Crowe as Maximus, a soldier who became a gladiator, garnered five Academy Awards, including best actor and best picture. Gladiator II is scheduled for release in the United Kingdom and Ireland on November 15. Speaking to RTÉ, Mescal conveyed his appreciation for the supporters, stating he was “always blown away by Irish fans who come and stand and wait to meet us.” Mescal expressed his delight at being back in his home country, remarking: “I’m fundamentally proud to be Irish, so to feel this when you come home is very difficult to put into words.” Reflecting on the current generation of Irish actors, he commented, “whatever is in the water at the moment for Irish actors, it must be coming within these borders,” and expressed a desire to collaborate on a project with other talents from the island, such as Cillian Murphy and Saoirse Ronan. Mescal further commended the director, stating: “The fact I’ve had the opportunity to work with Ridley Scott on one of his best films, is very difficult to put into words.” While Mescal’s fellow actors Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal were absent from Dublin, Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Daniel Wiffen, who hails from Magheralin, was present on the red carpet. The Olympian informed RTÉ that his celebration after securing a gold medal in Paris drew inspiration from Russell Crowe’s character in the initial film, released in 2000. In July in Paris, Wiffen achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first athlete from Northern Ireland to claim an Olympic gold medal in 36 years. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Details on our external linking policy are available.