Paul Mescal has made quite the name for himself in the film world. The actor boasts of an impressive collection of works with roles in Normal People, Aftersun, All of Us Strangers, and Foe. However, the actor worries about the global attention he may receive following his leading role in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2. 

During an an interview with The Times UK, the actor expressed his worry about how the global attention from the movie may affect his personal life saying, “I don’t know what the difference will be. Maybe that’s naive? Is it just that more people will stop you in the street? I’d get profoundly depressed if that’s so and hope it isn’t true. I’ll have an answer next year, but if [the film] impacts my life in that way, I’ll be in a bad spot. I’d have to move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.”

Mescal also expressed his discontent with the effects social media has on the film industry in the current state of media consumerism.

“Over the last few years, people have been talking about films and TV shows as content. That’s a filthy word. It’s not ‘content,’ it’s fucking work,” the actor said, “I’m not being snobby, but there are two concurrent industries. One that works with a lack of care and artistic integrity. Go nuts, make stuff with Instagram followers as a factor, whatever… But the other is what’s always been there, the craft of film-making, directing, lighting and production design. That keeps artists alive. And audiences want to be challenged.”

Despite his hesitation about the effects of starring in a big budget film, Mescal expressed his excitement about the upcoming role. “I feel really excited, but, like, it’s difficult to get away from the legacy of the film a bit,” Mescal said. “I think it’s really well written and it pays homage to the first one, but it’s very much something that I think I can step into and make comfortably my own.”

Mescal is joined by Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Denzel Washington, and Connie Nielsen in Gladiator 2. The film is set to hit theaters November 22, 2024.