Paul Mescal was ready to enter the arena on his own terms.

“Gladiator II” star revealed that while he is reaching peak physical condition for the upcoming film, there are two things he refuses to give up.

“I was training with a coach who was circling me like a shark and saying, ‘There’s a canvas to work on,'” Mescal, 28, said during an appearance on “The Graham Norton Show” in England on Friday. US Weekly. “He went to the city and I saw him every day. “It was a lot of fun.”

“I did everything he asked, but I love to drink and smoke, so I drew a line in the sand where those were involved,” the actor admitted.

But it’s all about balance, as Mescal “eats a lot of chicken and lifts heavy things.”

“Gladiator II” It takes place twenty years after the events of the original “Gladiator” movie starring Russell Crowe. In the sequel, Mescal plays the adult Lucius Verus II, the son of Crowe’s character Maximus, who is forced into slavery and becomes a gladiator to gain his freedom, just as his father did in the first film.

Mescal also touched on how he took on the role after speaking to him. directed by Ridley Scott Just for 30 minutes via Zoom.

“Ridley doesn’t waste any time,” he told host Graham Norton. “I thought there would be on-camera tests and auditions, but we Zoomed for half an hour, talked about the episode for 10 minutes and then talked about Gaelic football, his dog and his wife for 20 minutes.”

“I thought there would be more to it,” Mescal continued, “but a few weeks later he called me and offered me the role. “I think he just goes with his instincts on and off the set, and I’m so glad it turned out that way.”

The film also stars Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, who play a former slave and slave. Lucius’ mentor Macrinus.

Mescal talked about meeting the 69-year-old Oscar-winning actor on the set.

“It was a big day in my life; It was amazing. “I spent my first day thinking, ‘I should go introduce myself to her,’ and I stood there for a few minutes and decided, ‘Not today,'” the actor recalled. “The next day I decided to be a brave boy.”

In July, Mescal showed off her physical transformation after Pascal, 49, shared a shirtless photo on social media of the “Aftersun” alum wearing only a burlap skirt and gold cuffs in his trailer.

inside Instagram officialMescal smiled while sporting a fake scar and a light beard.

Along with the film’s poster, Pascal also captioned the photo: “Come and get it. #Gladiator2 November 22.”

Fans flocked to the comments section to give their stamp of approval, with one user writing: “This is too much for Monday” while another posted: “Let’s get the dad.”

“Gladiator II” is in theaters on Friday, November 22.