As the world is swept up in the ‘Glicked‘ frenzy — the playful combination of ‘Gladiator II‘ and ‘Wicked‘ — Paul Mescal is standing tall and offering praise for his fellow stars. The two films were released the same day and both continue to get massive response from audiences, making them competitive productions.
However, Mescal, the Oscar-nominated actor who headlines Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator II‘, shared his admiration for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the leading duo in ‘Wicked‘, Jon M. Chu’s highly anticipated musical adaptation. Here’s what he said.
Paul Mescal Calls Cynthia Erivo And Ariana Grande “Extraordinary” Actors
After the blockbuster release of his recent film ‘Gladiator II‘, Paul Mescal sat down for an interview with ‘Attitude‘ magazine, wherein he praised the film ‘Wicked‘. “I met Cynthia and Ariana at the Academy Gala very briefly, and I’ve seen the film,” Mescal said.
“I think they’re both extraordinary. And I’m a musical theater guy, I’m a big advocate for that film,” he added. Reflecting on the box office buzz surrounding both movies, Mescal embraced the ‘Glicked‘ phenomenon, which follows last year’s ‘Barbenheimer‘ craze that saw ‘Barbie‘ and ‘Oppenheimer‘ dominate theaters simultaneously.
“Give it whatever title you want to give it. ‘Barbenheimer‘ was an amazing thing for cinema in general,” Mescal said, talking about the potential for both films to benefit the industry. “If we can get people in the door for both films, not only is it great for us, it’s great for ‘Wicked‘, but it’s great for the cinema industry in general,” he added.
‘Gladiator II’ And ‘Wicked’ Are In A Tight Box Office Contest
In ‘Gladiator II‘, Paul Mescal plays Lucius, who witnessed the fall of Maximus in the original film 2000 starring Russell Crowe. The story moves as Lucius steps inside the Colosseum ready to reclaim Rome’s former glory.
Meanwhile, ‘Wicked‘ brings the beloved Broadway musical to life, following the fateful meeting of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West (Erivo), and Glinda the Good Witch (Grande) during their time at Shiz University.
In case you missed it: Ariana Grande Gives A Nod To Glinda And Elphaba’s Queer Relationship In ‘Wicked’
Both films have taken the box office by storm. ‘Wicked‘ smashed a number of records with its opening weekend at $164.2 million worldwide, whereas ‘Gladiator II‘ tore ahead with a mighty take of $221 million due in part to an earlier international release.
