It’s taken 24 years, but we’re finally getting a sequel to the classic 2000s film Gladiator, and boy am I excited. While there’s still a couple more months until we can officially watch it in theaters (November 22 is the release date to be exact), the movie is already causing quite the conversation on social media (let’s just say Denzel Washington’s star power has only increased as he's gotten older). Whether you are a die-hard Gladiator fan that’s been waiting two-plus decades for a follow-up or you’re watching simply because of Washington, it’s probably a good idea to get clued in on the star-studded main cast of the film and the respective roles they’re playing. Other familiar faces to keep an eye out for are Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, and a few others.
Everything You Need to Know About the 'Gladiator II' Cast and What They’ve Been In Before
Read on to find out more about the actors of Gladiator II and what they’ve been in before.
1. Paul Mescal
- Character: Lucius
- What Else He’s Been In: Normal People, All of Us Strangers, The Lost Daughter
Paul Mescal lends his acting skills to the titular role of Lucius, who is forced to enter the Colosseum after the death of his uncle Maximus from emperors invading his home. With notable acting credits such as All of Us Strangers and The Lost Daughter, the 28-year-old is already making a name for himself in Hollywood, with veteran actors such as Natalie Portman praising his talent. Born in Ireland, Mescal studied at The Lir Academy and Trinity College Dubman, where he gained his initial training through performing in a number of theater productions. The actor’s big break came four years ago with the critically-acclaimed miniseries Normal People, which earned him a BAFTA TV award and an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Series or Movie.”
From there, the roles began pouring in for Mescal and he starred in films like The Lost Daughter (which was directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal), and God’s Creatures, the latter of which earned him an Academy Award nomination for “Best Actor,” and another BAFTA nomination—this time for “Best Actor in a Leading Role.” The year 2023 saw Mescal starring alongside Andrew Scott in the film All of Us Strangers, which premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival, and currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96 percent. Up next for the actor after Gladiator II is his take on William Shakespeare in Chloé Zhao’s period drama Hamnet, which began principal photography in June.
2. Denzel Washington
- Character: Macrinus
- What Else He’s Been In: Everything…kidding—Training Day, Malcom X, He Got Game
Ah…the man of the hour—Mr. Denzel Washington. You're likely more than familiar with Washington’s extensive filmography—Training Day, He Got Game, The Little Things and plenty (and I do mean plenty) more, as the actor continues to creatively reinvent himself with each decade in his career that passes. This newest project sees Washington, 69, as the conniving Macrinus, a power broker and former slave with the mission of taking over Rome completely. He also appears to have given Macrinus the accent of a New York gangster, but when you’re Denzel Washington and the New York Times calls you the greatest actor of the 21st century, you can do whatever the hell you want. The legendary powerhouse will next reunite with longtime collaborator Spike Lee in the upcoming drama High and Low, in which he’ll star alongside Jeffrey White. Washington is also confirmed to make a return to Broadway opposite of Jake Gyllenhaal next spring in the revival of William Shakespeare’s Othello.
3. Pedro Pascal
- Character: Marcus Acacius
- What Else He’s Been In: The Mandalorian, The Last of Us
Pedro Pascal, 49, takes on the role of antagonist Gen. Marcus Acacius, who invades Numidia and forces Lucius into slavery. I received my major introduction to Pascal through his portrayal of Joel in the post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us (and many viral memes of course), but the man has been acting practically his whole life as he first got his start at the Orange County School of the Arts in the early 1990s. Pascal then attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he graduated in 1997.
Additional acting credits to his name include The Mandalorian, Wonder Woman 1984, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and more. Pascal will next be seen in Celine Song’s Materialists and will have a reoccurring role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret War (2027).
4. Connie Nielsen
- Character: Lucilla
- What Else She’s Been In: Mission to Mars, The Hunted, 3 Days to Kill
Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, who was previously regarded in the first film as the traitor who tried to help her former lover Maximus overthrow her brother. Decades later it appears Lucilla hasn’t changed one bit, and still operates with the intent of getting her sibling removed from his powerful position. Nielsen’s career spans over forty years, with notable credits such as Mission to Mars, 2003’s The Hunted and 2021’s Nobody to her name.
5. Joseph Quinn
- Character: Emperor Geta
- What Else He’s Been In: A Quiet Place: Day One, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones
Riding high on the recent success of A Quiet Place: Day One, Joseph Quinn has quite the resume for his years (the actor is 30 years old). Receiving his acting education at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Quinn has had pivotal roles in the hit series’ Stranger Things and Game of Thrones. Playing Emperor Geta has him as a ruler of Rome alongside brother Caracalla. These brothers have the stained reputation of being "damaged goods" because of their cruel behavior and inability to get along. As for 2025, Quinn has a very fun role as Johnny Storm in the upcoming Fantastic Four film mentioned earlier, and I look forward to seeing him on the big screen yet again.
