Why Did Ridley Scott Pick Paul Mescal For Gladiator II When He Originally Wanted Timothée Chalamet?

Timothée Chalamet remains one of the few quintessential Hollywood stars, a status that naturally sees his name attached to numerous high-profile roles. This year, Chalamet’s packed schedule included the release of Dune II, filming A Complete Unknown, and preparing for a potential Best Actor awards campaign.

He also began work on Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme. Adding to the list of potential projects, Ridley Scott revealed that Chalamet was briefly considered for the role of Lucius in Gladiator II.

Timothée Chalamet vs Paul Mescal: The Ultimate Choice

Despite Chalamet’s box-office appeal, the part of Lucius ultimately went to Paul Mescal. Ridley Scott was drawn to Mescal’s work after watching his performance in Normal People. Scott’s producer, Doug Wick, shared that while studios often prefer established stars, Mescal’s talent convinced Paramount co-presidents Daria Cercek and Michael Ireland. The pair saw Mescal as Stanley Kowalski in the West End revival of A Streetcar Named Desire and believed no other actor came close.

Ridley Scott’s Discovery of Mescal

In a panel hosted by IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill, Scott recounted how he stumbled upon Normal People. “I need bedtime stories. Before I go to bed, I always watch something. I caught Normal People almost by accident,” Scott said.

Despite initially not finding the material compelling, he was captivated by the performances, eventually binge-watching the entire series.

Mescal’s Hesitation and Excitement

Mescal recognized the weight of stepping into a major studio project like Gladiator II. While acknowledging concerns about being typecast as an action hero, he felt the film was the perfect opportunity.

“A film like Gladiator II is the dream in terms of studio, big-scale filmmaking because it’s in the hands of Ridley and rooted in the human condition with a very clear emotional language,” Mescal explained.

Following their work on Gladiator II, Mescal has forged a strong bond with Scott. He is set to star in another of Scott’s projects, Dog Stars. Adapted by Mark L. Smith from Peter Heller’s 2012 apocalyptic thriller, the story follows a pilot and an ex-marine navigating the aftermath of a pandemic that devastated American society.

Mescal’s decision to work on large-scale films like Gladiator II signals his readiness to balance commercial appeal with emotionally driven storytelling, cementing his position as a rising Hollywood star.