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    Paul Mescal's Take On Changing His Body For "Gladiator II" Is Honestly Refreshing

    "This is the thing, I don't generally believe when actors say they're in the gym for three hours and eating 9,000 calories."

    Natasha Jokic
    by Natasha Jokic

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Paul Mescal broke down how he got in shape for his starring role in Gladiator II.

    Paul Mescal in a dark suit with an open-collar shirt poses on a red carpet
    Simon Ackerman / FilmMagic

    In a new interview with the BBC, Paul was asked how long he spent in the gym every day to prepare for the sequel. He replied, "45 minutes."

    @bbcnews

    Wishing we had genetics like Paul Mescal rn. #PaulMescal #GladiatorII #DenzelWashington #PedroPascal #FilmTok #MovieTok #Cinema #Hollywood #BBCNews

    ♬ original sound - BBC News - BBC News

    "This is the thing, I don't generally believe when actors say they're in the gym for three hours and eating 9,000 calories," he continued.

    Paul Mescal man with dirt and sweat on his face is crouched in a tense action scene, wearing a distressed, tattered garment
    Cuba Scott / Paramount Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

    Paul, who also played Gaelic football and rugby, added, "I was lucky that I had a background in sport before we started this. My body — it wasn't, like, going into totally new territory. I'm not saying that 45 minutes was easy, I was just lucky that's genetically or something is what was required."

    Paul Mescal in gladiator attire kneels on the sand, holding a small object, with a sword planted beside him
    Aidan Monaghan / Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The video quickly went viral, with comments following suit:

    Social media comments about age and workout duration; mention humor about age perception and fitness advice
    TikTok / Via tiktok.com

    As his trainer, Tim Blakeley, told GQ, "The brief was [for Mescal] to put on size and get stronger. He didn’t want to go down the Marvel route of looking cartoony — we were thinking back-row rugby player type; strong, fit, fast, and agile like a decathlete." He said that the actor had 12 weeks before shooting and continued to occasionally smoke and drink throughout.

    Two characters from Gladiator II, dressed in rustic, ancient-style clothing, converse intensely in a dimly lit wooden interior
    Peter Mensah, 2024 / Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Honestly, I'd infinitely much rather this than people starving and/or dehydrating themselves for movies? Or using something that rhymes with schmeroids? Bring back the vaguely attainable (genetics-depending) buff bod!