Paul Mescal has been doing the rounds of red carpet media interviews as Gladiator II hits screens around the world.
The Irish actor leads the hotly-anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott's 2000 epic, with Scott again in the director's chair for the 2024 rendition.
Starring alongside Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, this is undoubtedly the biggest Hollywood role yet for Mescal, and his red carpet appearances over the past few weeks have garnered much attention on social media.
The most high-profile guest at any of the premieres thus far was surely King Charles, who was present at Leicester Square last Wednesday.
King Charles attending the global premiere of ‘GLADIATOR II’. With Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielson, Densel Washington and director Sir Ridley Scott. #Gladiator2 pic.twitter.com/SDAM4tOT9G
— filmser (@filmser) November 13, 2024
The reigning British monarch was introduced to the cast of the film on the red carept in London, with Irishman Mescal extending a polite handshake.
However, he made his feelings about the King clear in an interview on the red carpet at this Monday's Los Angeles premiere - with the Variety interviewer failing to pick up the subtleties of Mescal's response.
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Paul Mescal had pointed response to question about meeting King Charles
Having been in London last week, Paul Mescal and the Gladiator II crew jetted off to LA this week to promote Gladiator II.
At the premiere, Mescal was asked by Variety's Marc Malkin for his reflection on the "wild" experience of meeting King Charles at the Leicester Square event last week.
Paul Mescal on meeting King Charles: "I'm Irish, so it's not on the list of priorities. But it's an amazing thing for Ridley [Scott] because I know how important that is for him." pic.twitter.com/AR60LJ0V4Z
— Variety (@Variety) November 19, 2024
Referencing the troublesome relationship between Ireland and the British Monarchy, Mescal's response made clear what he had thought of the 'honour.'
[I had] never met the king...I mean...
How wild is it? I mean it's definitely not something that I thought was on the bingo cards. I'm Irish so it's not really on the list of priorities.
But it's an amazing thing for Ridley [Scott] because I know how important that is for him, so to see his film celebrated in that context was pretty special.
That was not enough to dissuade the host from attempting to dig deeper.
The Variety interviewer would follow up with a question on what Mescal had said to the King, or what one might think of saying to such a figure.
Mescal, looking almost baffled that this line of questioning was continuing, stumbled through an answer as he was clearly thinking on the spot of what on Earth to say.
You just kind of nod along and...I found it hard to hear exactly what he was saying because your head is in such a kind of...
You're just kind of nodding along and smiling.
A tough watch that made Paul Mescal's feelings clear in the baffled nothingness of his response more than anything.
Gladiator II is out in cinemas now.
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