Paul Mescal Reveals He Kissed Pedro Pascal While Filming 'Gladiator' Scene

Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal star as the lead characters in "Gladiator II," the highly anticipated sequel directed by Ridley Scott, following his 2000 epic that featured Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix.

Fans and admirers of the two actors were already excited about the sword-fighting action between these Hollywood heartthrobs, and the "Gladiator II" promotional campaign is on top of it, already hinting at plenty of sweat, gleaming muscles, and the tension fans might expect from a film featuring such leading men.

However, Paul Mescal has intensified the excitement even further with his recent interview, revealing he planted a kiss on Pedro Pascal while filming.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mescal and Pascal shared details about an improvised moment during filming that, unfortunately, did not make the final cut of "Gladiator II."

Mescal revealed that the scene involved him planting a kiss on Pascal’s forehead at the end of what was likely a very intense sword fight.  "There was a moment when we were rehearsing my fight scene with Pedro, and I had an idea towards the end of the scene to kiss Pedro on the forehead," Mescal recalled. "I did it in one of the takes, and then we're getting the radio messages back to Ridley [in video village], and I was like, 'Ridley: Kiss on the forehead, did you like it? Yay or nay?'"

"There was radio silence for a second," he added. "His radio crackles back, and [Ridley] goes, 'I'm afraid I did.'"

Though the playful, unscripted gesture won’t be seen in the final version, it adds to the behind-the-scenes excitement surrounding the chemistry between the two stars. He added, "I think Ridley's one of the funniest men I've ever come across."

Pascal's favorite blooper from "Gladiator II" is tied to the scene where his character, Acacius, is first introduced to the audience and Lucius as his army invades Numidia.

"I was running off the drawbridge, and they kind of dressed it with some dust so that when it slams against the fortified wall, there's a big puff of smoke, of dust. And I'm charging off the drawbridge and jumping over the wall, and I slip," Pascal recounted. "I literally bounce off the drawbridge on my ass and land splat in front of Paul's feet on the first take."

Referencing the iconic line from "Gladiator," Pascal recalls turning to his co-star and jokingly saying, "Are you not entertained?"

For nearly six months, Mescal revealed he underwent an intensive regimen that included strength training, fight choreography, horseback riding, and sword-fighting practice to prepare for his role before stepping into the arena.

"I loved how distinct the fights are from each other, and what I'm really proud of is how you can feel the accumulation of the violence on his body as the film progresses," Mescal told EW. "The fights aren't like slick swordplay. You can feel towards the end what Lucius says — it's about survival. It's like your body's going to accumulate all this punishment. And it's about holding onto that as the film progresses."

While there were plenty of obstacles to overcome during filming, Mescal said the real challenge was the weather inside the Colosseum set. The sandy arena floor became intensely hot, especially on days when they filmed this particular battle scene, making it difficult for the cast and crew to work comfortably.

"We shot that for about two or three days, but the heat was just…. My Irish blood does not function with Ridley's shooting schedule, which is like sun up to sundown, hottest parts of the day," Mescal says with a laugh. "It was brutal, the fight. I grew up playing sports, so I would consider myself pretty robust and happy to throw myself around."

"But it was just the [arena] itself became like a radiator. I was borderline throwing up, irritable, just hardcore," he added. "Between takes, I was firing ice straight down my back."

"Gladiator II" features an impressive cast, including Denzel Washington as Macrinus, a former slave, Connie Nielsen reprising her role as Lucilla, and Joseph Quinn portraying the new emperor, Geta. The film also includes veteran actor Derek Jacobi, who returns as Senator Gracchus.

The film hits theaters on November 22.