Paul Mescal reveals the insane wager he had with Ridley Scott over Gladiator II stunt that brought about large argument between pair

Paul Mescal has revealed the insane bet he had with Ridley Scott over one Gladiator II stunt that caused a huge argument between pair. 

The actor, 28, is starring in the new blockbuster film but didn’t always see eye to eye with the director, 86. 

Gladiator II follows Lucius Verus (Paul), the former heir to the Roman Empire who is forced into slavery and eventually pushed to fight in the Colosseum in an effort to restore glory.

Early review from critics have called Gladiator II the ‘best movie of the year’ and a ‘true epic’ as they hailed Paul and Denzel Washington’s performances. 

With Russell Crowe’s legendary Maximus long-since dead and buried, it is vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his liberty in the film after being taken into slavery and ripped away from his wife and daughter by general Marcus (Pedro Pascal).

In a new interview with Variety Paul told how there was a scene towards the end of the film where a weary Lucius mounts a horse in hot pursuit of Macrinus.

Paul was keen to do his best for the action-packed moment and the other stunts so ‘trained for f***ing months’ – before Ridley changed his mind about the scene.  

Paul told the publication: ‘Two weeks before the scene, Ridley says, ‘You’re not f***ing doing it,’ and I was like, ‘What the f**k?,’ and we had this argument.’

Ridley had decided to cut the scene due to some equine advice he had received on another movie  

Paul added of the altercation: ‘I was pestering him constantly. And then the day before, he goes, ‘OK, you can do the stunt, but if you come off, it’s two Bentleys.’

He eventually pulled the move off in just a couple of takes. 

It comes after last week Paul revealed he became so ripped he felt his body ‘could inflict real damage’ after his intense training sessions for Gladiator II.

The star explained that after working out with a fitness coach, riding horses and learning to fight, he began to feel strong and powerful. 

Paul, who had no previous experience of body building or working out, transformed himself for the role in Ridley Scott’s film. 

He told The Sun: ‘You start feeling like your body can inflict damage, which is weird.

‘It changes the way you move and operate. And that’s a fun kind of place to live when it’s make-believe.’

The actor, who rose to fame as Connel Waldron in the BBC‘s lockdown smash hit Normal People, plays the son of Russell Crowe’s legendary Maximus.

Although the character is long-since dead and buried, it is vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his liberty in the film after being taken into slavery and ripped away from his wife and daughter by general Marcus (Pedro Pascal).

Gladiator II takes place several decades after the first instalment, and features Lucius (the son of Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla) who is now living in Numidia, a region of northern Africa.

Although he was sent to Numidia as a child, the film follows Lucius’ return to Rome to reunite with his mother—and coming into conflict as he does so.

The film, which was 20 years in the making has been a hit with critics and fans have praised Paul’s performance. 

But the star revealed on The Graham Norton Show that there was a lot of work to make him ready to play such an iconic role. 

Of the regime that turned him into a Roman hunk, Paul told Graham: ‘I ate a lot of chicken and lifted heavy things. I was working with a trainer who circled me like a shark and said ‘There is a canvas to work with”.

‘He went to town, and I saw him every day, It was fun,’ before revealing he didn’t totally embrace the strict rules.

‘I did everything he asked but I like to drink, and I like to smoke so I drew a line in the sand where those were concerned’.

‘I was petrified that they were going to take away everything, like drinking and I smoke. Everything fun,’ he said.

Paul went on to say he asked his fitness trainer Tim Blakeley to help him work drinking and smoking into his rigorous training regime.

‘I very earnestly was like, ‘Look, Tim, I’m going to keep drinking and smoking for a little bit if I can,” Paul recalled.

‘He very kindly incorporated them, not into the workout routine, but just into my life.’