What do you get when you cross one of Hollywood’s most anticipated blockbuster sequels with one of TikTok’s most viral current trends? In this particular case, you get Gladiator 2 star Paul Mescal being asked how often he thinks about the Roman Empire, and we should all be grateful that he went for brevity with his A+ response, as opposed to an endless dissertation about the ins and outs of that particular ancient society.
Fans will be waiting a while to see Ridley Scott long-awaited Gladiator sequel, which isn’t set to be released until late 2024, but no one needs to spend any more time wondering where Mescal averages when it comes to his daily time spent thinking about the Roman Empire. When asked by Chicken Shop Date’s Amelia Dimoldenberg, the Aftersun actor offered up a bemused response that naturally ties back to his in-the-words epic. Here’s how he put it:
I would say in the last six months, I’ve been thinking about the Roman Empire quite a bit. Other than that, I would say my dad thinks about the Roman Empire daily.
Now, does that mean Paul Mescal spent six months thinking about the myriad ways Rome was the crux of ideas that led to modern day necessities and pleasantries? Was he marveling at the concept of indoor plumbing for half a year? Probably not, since his main focus was probably on making sure he knew his lines and his scene marks, and what all was needed to make filming Gladiator 2 as successful as possible. (Which did not include reaching out to former star Russell Crowe.)
No, it doesn’t sound like the Normal People star matches up with the myriad dudes who have been captured on video admitting how often they’re pondering the Roman Empire’s impact on society. But his dad seems to be another story. Maybe that’s the next video we can expect to see on TikTok in the coming days: Paul Mescal’s dad waxing poetically about the days of empires yore.
This guy below is a pretty solid example of what this trend looks like on TikTok, having first been birthed as an Instagram question.
@mama_bee_kay
♬ original sound – Billie Kay Asmus
And if someone bringing Paul Mescal into the equation (logically as it was) seems silly, he’s not the first famous person to answer the call. In fact, the trend has gotten to the point where NFL players have shared their thoughts.
@ravens
♬ original sound – Baltimore Ravens
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in seeing just how far-flung this trend will get by the time it fades into the Internet ethers. I guess the next logical steps would be getting Joaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott into the mix, though don’t hold your breath.
Paul Mescal is just one part of Gladiator 2’s all-star cast, which also includes the aforementioend returning star Phoenix, and newbies like Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal. Fans can likely catch it in theaters for its current premiere set for November 22, 2024. Check out all the other upcoming 2023 movies in the meantime, while also possibly considering how well a triumvirate would affect modern politics here in the U.S.