As fans are gunning to see the magical pairing of stars Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn on-screen in ‘Gladiator II’, Quinn is not holding back while praising his co-star. As the release of the upcoming film’s trailer caused a frenzy amongst fans, Joseph Quinn recently took to a podcast interview to discuss his experience working with an amazing cast.
According to Joseph Quinn, fans are unprepared for Paul Mescal’s “devastating” role in the Gladiator sequel. He also reflected on his experience filming the historical epic by Ridley Scott. Here’s what he said.
Joseph Quinn Gushes About Paul Mescal’s Performance In ‘Gladiator II’
‘Stranger Things’ star Joseph Quinn is set to hit screens alongside Paul Mescal in the highly anticipated film ‘Gladiator II‘. As the excitement about it continues to grow among fans, the actor has opened up about working alongside Mescal.
“We had an amazing time. I made some fantastic friends on it,” he said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “Working with Denzel Washington, that doesn’t ever happen, so I learned a lot from him and watching him work and trying to keep up with him,” he said.
He then teased, “Paul is devastating in this film, I don’t think people are ready for it.” The ‘Normal People’ actor plays Lucius Verus, the former heir to the Roman Empire, in the follow-up to 2000’s Gladiator, while Quinn and Fred Hechinger play co-emperors Caracalla and Geta.
The film also stars Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, and Derek Jacobi, and is set to release in cinemas in November.
In case you missed: “I’ll Be In A Spot”: Paul Mescal Thinks Success Of ‘Gladiator 2’ Will Make Him Profoundly Depressed
Joseph Quinn Talks About Director Ridley Scott’s “Extraordinary” Set
During the podcast interview with Josh Horowitz, Joseph Quinn was also seen speaking fondly of his working experience with director Ridley Scott. “It was kind of the maddest experience of my life in a way. Don’t think it’s going to get madder than that,” he recalled.
“But an extraordinary thing just in terms of the fact that Ridley he builds worlds, doesn’t he? So he built ancient Rome. So to bear witness to all of that, let alone participate in the making of it, was a privilege,” he said.
He further praised the ‘Alien’ filmmaker, calling him a “force of nature” who directs with “profound confidence”. Quinn has spoken highly of the director in the past as well. “He is a world builder,” he raved to Men’s Health of Scott, who marked his 86th birthday last year in November.
“He creates these films that utterly transport you, and that is a very rare thing to be able to do. There are so many, and there’s such a variety in that body of work that indicates the caliber of director that he is, and the kind of creativity that he’s able to harness and weaponize,” he said.
He continued, “Watching him negotiate these brutal shoot days… as you said, he’s not 32 anymore. But he conducts himself with such a vigor, and thirst, for life and also filmmaking, still—he just loves it, and that is very infectious. Working with him… I was never expecting to do that, obviously, and so I was incredibly grateful,” he added.
Speaking more about his experience working with Ridley Scott, he said, “I just tried, like we all did, to be as present as we could, and to understand that this was a very rare thing. Outside of making the film itself, it was a very rare experience as a human being to bare witness to ancient Rome. He built ancient Rome! Not a lot of people can do that—Ridley Scott can.”
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