Paul Mescal looks effortlessly stylish at Gladiator II UK premiere with co-stars Connie Nielsen, Yuval Gonen and Pedro Pascal on the red carpet

Paul Mescal looked effortlessly stylish as he walked the red carpet at the UK premiere of Gladiator II on Wednesday. 

Arriving at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London, the Irish actor, 28, was joined by his co-stars Connie Nielsen, Yuval Gonen and Pedro Pascal. 

Paul, who plays the former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius Verus in the blockbuster, opted for a smart black suit with a cream satin shirt. 

Early reviews from critics have called Gladiator II the ‘best movie of the year’ and a ‘true epic’ as they hailed Paul and Denzel Washington’s performances. 

With Russell Crowe’s legendary Maximus long-since dead and buried, it is vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his liberty in the film after being taken into slavery and ripped away from his wife and daughter by general Marcus (Pedro Pascal).

Paul has revealed the insane bet he had with Ridley Scott over one Gladiator II stunt that caused a huge argument between pair.

In a new interview with Vanity Fair Paul told how there was a scene towards the end of the film where a weary Lucius mounts a horse in hot pursuit of Macrinus.

Paul was keen to do his best for the action-packed moment and the other stunts so ‘trained for f***ing months’ – before Ridley changed his mind about the scene.  

Paul told the publication: ‘Two weeks before the scene, Ridley says, ‘You’re not f***ing doing it,’ and I was like, ‘What the f**k?,’ and we had this argument.’

Ridley had decided to cut the scene due to some equine advice he had received on another movie  

Paul added of the altercation: ‘I was pestering him constantly. And then the day before, he goes, ‘OK, you can do the stunt, but if you come off, it’s two Bentleys.’

He eventually pulled the move off in just a couple of takes. 

Paul, who plays the former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius Verus in the blockbuster, opted for a smart black suit with a cream satin shirt