Paul Mescal is hoping “Glicked” is the new “Barbenheimer” by urging moviegoers to take in a double feature of “Gladiator II” and “Wicked.”
“I think they complement each other really well because they’re so different,” the Oscar-nominated actor told me at the “Gladiator II” premiere on Monday night in Los Angeles. “And if you love cinema, get out there and support it. Don’t wait for it to come on to a streamer, because we’re at a critical junction. We have been for a little while with theatrical films. If cinema is a thing for you, get out and see both films.”
Fred Hechinger, who plays Emperor Caracalla in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” sequel, said he’s planning on a “Glicked” day at the theater. “I love ‘Wicked,’” he said. “I’ll sing ‘Defying Gravity.’”
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Speaking of singing, Mescal and Hechinger also detailed going to a karaoke bar while promoting “Gladiator II” in Japan.
“I’ve walked myself into a corner with this because when I was doing press for ‘Aftersun,’ I was like, ‘I hate karaoke. I hate karaoke,’” Mescal said. “But I got roped into doing it, and I enjoyed it.”
What song did he belt out? “I did ‘The Climb,’” he responded.
Did he hit Miley Cyrus-level notes? “Of course not. I was drunk. It was great,” Mescal said with a laugh. “It’s not about that — it’s about the spirit.”
“I partook in that as well,” Hechinger, who also sang Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One,” said of “The Climb” performance. “I think karaoke is built for people who don’t have voices. I think if you have too good of a voice, it’s embarrassing for you to do karaoke.”
The “Gladiator II” press tour also included a royal premiere in London with King Charles III in attendance. “It’s definitely not something that I thought was in the bingo cards,” Mescal said of his interaction with the British monarch. “I’m Irish, so it’s not on the list of priorities. But it’s an amazing thing for Ridley [Scott] because I know how important that is for him. So to see his film celebrated in that context was pretty special.”
Mescal couldn’t recall what King Charles actually said to him. “I found it hard to hear exactly what he was saying because your head is in such a kind of frenzy, so you’re just kind of nodding along and just smiling.”
See more photos from the “Gladiator II” premiere below.
