Paul Mescal stars in Sir Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” taking on the leading role from Russell Crowe and performing most of his own stunts. Mescal clashed with Scott over a dangerous horse-riding stunt in the film, but ultimately convinced the director to include it in the movie.

Despite having a stunt double, Mescal excelled in his fight scenes and was determined to do all of his own stunts in “Gladiator II.” He fought to perform a horse-jumping stunt, which Scott was initially reluctant to allow due to safety concerns.

Mescal persisted in convincing Scott to let him do the stunt, even jokingly agreeing to owe the director two Bentleys if he failed. Ultimately, Mescal successfully completed the stunt without incident, showcasing his dedication to performing his own stunts in the film.