Paul Mescal was spotted in New York City on Monday while having lunch with a friend.
The actor, 28, enjoyed lunch at Sweetgreen in the Big Apple dressed in a black hoodie over a Carhartt jacket and dark blue jeans.
The Irish star added a pair of black Adidas gazelles and black sunglasses to her look as she grabbed her packed lunch.
The Gladiator star walked alongside a mystery woman who was bundled up against the cold in a long wool coat and baggy jeans.
Paul’s low-key look comes after he revealed he’s been feeling the pressure following the release of his latest film Gladiator II.
Gladiator II follows Lucius Verus (Paul), the former heir to the Roman Empire who is forced into slavery and eventually forced to fight in the Colosseum in an effort to restore glory.
Paul Mescal was seen trying to blend in in New York City on Monday while having lunch with a friend.
The actor, 28, looked serious as he enjoyed lunch at Sweetgreen in the Big Apple wearing a black hoodie over a Carhartt jacket and dark blue jeans.
Paul’s low-key look comes after he revealed he’s been feeling pressure following the release of his latest film Gladiator II (pictured with director Ridley Scott, November 13, 2024).
In a new interview with Variety, Paul, 28, talked about the film, his love of short films and hinted at working with his Normal People co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones.
He said: ‘I feel the pressure and I feel the desire to make money from this. The box office needs a boost, and if movies like Gladiator II don’t make it, it would be worrying. So I feel a responsibility.
Early reviews from critics have called Gladiator II the “best film of the year” and a “true epic”, while praising the performances of Paul and Denzel Washington.
The film was released in the UK on Friday 15 November.
Paul said there was a scene towards the end of the film where a tired Lucius rides a horse chasing Macrinus.
The actor was keen to do his best for the action-packed moment and the other stunts, so he “trained for damn months” before director Ridley Scott changed his mind about the scene.
Paul told the publication: “Two weeks before the scene, Ridley says, ‘You’re not doing it,’ and I said, ‘What the fuck?’, and we had this argument.” ‘
Ridley had decided to cut the scene due to equine advice he had received on another film.
Gladiator II follows Lucius Verus (Paul), the former heir to the Roman Empire who is forced into slavery and eventually forced to fight in the Colosseum in an effort to restore glory.
Paul underwent a grueling workout routine to get in shape for the lead role, but the Normal People star said he couldn’t stop drinking or smoking as he worked on his ripped physique for the film.
Paul added of the altercation: “I was constantly bothering him. And then the day before he said, ‘Okay, you can do the trick, but if you go out, it’ll be two Bentleys.’
He finally nailed the move in just a couple of takes.
The star fought against the pressure to get rid of two of his worst vices.
Paul underwent a grueling workout routine to get in shape for the lead role, but the Normal People star said he couldn’t stop drinking or smoking as he worked on his ripped physique for the film.
‘I was petrified that they were going to take everything away from me, like drinking and smoking. All fun,’ he said.
Paul went on to say that he asked his fitness trainer Tim Blakeley to help him incorporate alcohol and tobacco use into his rigorous training regimen.
“I thought very seriously, ‘Look, Tim, I’m going to keep drinking and smoking a little bit if I can,'” Paul recalled.
“He very kindly incorporated them, not into the exercise routine, but simply into my life.”