Paul Mescal looks effortlessly stylish at Gladiator II UK premiere with co-stars Connie Nielsen, Yuval Gonen and Pedro Pascal on the red carpet

The stars of Gladiator II led arrivals on the red carpet at London’s Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square for the long-awaited UK premiere on Wednesday.

Lead star Paul Mescal looked effortlessly stylish as he was joined by his co-stars Connie Nielsen, Yuval Gonen and Pedro Pascal.

The Irish actor, 28, who plays the former heir of the Roman Empire Lucius Verus in the blockbuster, opted for an elegant black suit with a cream-colored satin shirt.

Connie, 59, looked sensational in a baby blue pleated chiffon dress, with a semi-sheer skirt and a thigh-high leg slit.

The Danish actress paired the halter-neck dress with a pair of matching satin heels and styled her hair in loose waves.

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.

With Russell Crowe’s legendary Maximus long dead and buried, it is the vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his freedom in the film after being taken into slavery and torn from his wife and daughter by General Marcus ( Peter Pascal).

Paul has revealed the crazy bet he had with Ridley Scott over a Gladiator II stunt that caused a huge argument between the pair.

In a new interview with vanity fair Paul said there was a scene towards the end of the film where a tired Lucius rides a horse chasing Macrinus.

Paul was willing to do his best for the action-packed moment and the other stunts, so he “trained for damn months,” before Ridley 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.

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.

Paul, who plays former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius Verus in the blockbuster, opted for a sleek black suit with a cream satin shirt.

Connie, 59, looked sensational in a baby blue pleated chiffon dress, with a semi-sheer skirt and a thigh-high leg slit.

She styled her hair in loose waves.

The actor, who rose to fame as Connel Waldron in the BBC smash hit Normal People, plays the son of Russell Crowe’s legendary Maximus.

Although the character is long dead and buried, it is the vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his freedom in the film after being taken into slavery and torn from his wife and daughter by General Marcus (Pedro Pascal). .

Gladiator II takes place several decades after the first installment and features Lucius (the son of Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla) now living in Numidia, a region of North Africa.

Although he was sent to Numidia as a child, the film follows Lucius’ return to Rome to reunite with his mother, and comes into conflict while doing so.

The film, which took 20 years to make, has been a hit with critics and fans have praised Paul’s performance.