It looks like all that talk of ‘fighting to the death’ in Gladiator II may have led Paul Mescal to reflect on his own life and mortality. The actor has made a very candid admission about when he thinks his own end might come.
Even though he is only 28 years old, at the height of his career, and in excellent physical shape, the Irish actor shared that he is ‘convinced’ he will pass away earlier than most would expect.
Given that he is starring in Richard Linklater’s film Merrily We Roll Along, which is being filmed over a massive 20-year period, it’s clear that he isn’t planning to check out any time soon.
However, Mescal doesn’t picture himself living into his later years either, as he has a strong and nagging ‘gut feeling’ that he won’t make it that far.
This perspective may have played a part in his decision to not give up drinking or smoking during the filming of Gladiator II, despite the fact that he had to follow an intense diet and fitness program for his role as Roman emperor Lucius Verus.
Watch the trailer for Ridley Scott’s much-anticipated sequel here:
The Normal People star shared that he was dedicated to putting everything he had into his training and ‘loved’ every minute of it, but he couldn’t bring himself to give up these two habits. To make it work, his trainer, Tim Blakeley, found a way to include them without disrupting the preparation.
Speaking to GQ Magazine, Mescal said: “I was petrified that they were going to take away everything, like drinking, and I smoke. Everything fun.”
“I very earnestly was like, ‘Look, Tim, I’m going to keep drinking and smoking for a little bit if I can’.”
“He very kindly incorporated them, not into the workout routine, but just into my life.”
Throughout the interview, Mescal continued to be completely transparent, especially when he spoke about what he hopes the future holds for him.
His acting career continues to thrive, and with his role in Gladiator II, his fame is only expected to grow even more. Yet, he doesn’t believe he will live long enough to reminisce about these moments when he reaches old age.
Mescal mentioned that by the time filming for Merrily We Roll Along finishes in 2042, he would like to be ‘settled’, possibly married, and maybe even have a few kids. Yet, he doesn’t really see much further than that.
“I’ve always been convinced that I’m not going to live a long life,” he said plainly.
“People have this response, but in my head it’s never been drastic. It’s just like a gut feeling.”
“And maybe it’s to do with the fact that I can’t visualise myself as an 80-year-old man.”
Even though he delivered this statement with what seemed like peace of mind, Mescal made sure to emphasize that he isn’t in any rush to face death.
“I’m also afraid of death,” the Carmen star added.
“So I think if death was to come for me at 55, I’d be equally afraid of it as I would be at 90,” he continued.
“I don’t believe anybody who’s like, ‘I’m ready for it’. I’m like, ‘Bullshit!'”
Mescal shared that he has ‘always’ felt like his time on Earth might be shorter than most, which has motivated him to reach his life goals sooner rather than later.
“I was like, going to have a family young,” he said. “I’m going to not survive a long time. Hopefully, I’m wrong. I think I will be wrong.”
“But that’s just the truth around my brain.”
Mescal is now eagerly looking forward to the release of Gladiator II, which is set to hit theaters next week on 15 November. The film will see him acting alongside Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and May Calamawy.
