RUSHES: Film: 'Gladiator II' premiere: Cast interviews

Film: 'Gladiator II' premiere: Cast interviews; ENGLAND: London: Leicester Square: EXT / NIGHT Pedro Pascal ('Marcus Acacius') interview SOT - (On his character) It was difficult, but it was fun to work with Joe (Quinn) and Fred (Hechinger), they made it very easy to be in that difficult position / I'd met Paul (Mescal) before somewhat briefly, but I knew enough that I would just love him and that he was my friend / I arrived to Morocco and said 'where's Paul', and then I discovered 'brick wall Paul' in Malta on the day of shooting / it was like being attacked by a wall - (On being in a Ridley Scott film) It's a different level for me because I grew up under the influence of his movies and his visual authorship is so imprinted into my mind and my heart that I sort of see things the way he does, or I imagine my world in the tableaus that he's given me growing up (interrupted by Paul Mescal, pair joke and do photocall together) - (On Mescal) Anyway, he sucks (laughter) / (returning to talking about Scott) he's the only director that has three movies in my top ten; Thelma and Louise, Blade Runner and Alien - (On what is fascinating about Ancient Rome) It's a sumptuos chapter in history; I think the idea of building power is something that humanity is obsessed with, and it's a perfect reflection of that, and the rise and fall of power in such specific ways / and also I think there's a way of looking back at a real time in history that isn't fantasy and yet it has the impression of epic theatrical bloody beautiful dangerous time, and the stories that come from there are frankly fascinating / at least we build them to be in our minds.