“I ate a lot of chicken and lifted heavy things' - Paul Mescal reveals how he got in shape for Gladiator II

Eddie Redmayne has said he “profoundly disagrees” with Paul Mescal that fitness training for acting roles is “fun”.

Irish actor Mescal, 28, worked with a trainer for his role playing Lucius in Sir Ridley Scott’s hotly-anticipated Gladiator II movie, while Redmayne revealed he got into shape for Sky Atlantic series The Day Of The Jackal.

Speaking about his role, Mescal told The Graham Norton Show: “I ate a lot of chicken and lifted heavy things. I was working with a trainer who circled me like a shark and said: ‘There is a canvas to work with.’

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“He went to town, and I saw him every day. It was fun. I did everything he asked but I like to drink, and I like to smoke so I drew a line in the sand where those were concerned.”

Asked how he got in such good shape for his new role, Redmayne said: “I profoundly disagree with Paul – it was not fun, it was horrendous. You read a scene in the script that says: ‘He is topless, sinuous and ripped, and you think, ‘Oh f***, here comes the chicken diet.’”

Discussing the new series, the Oscar-winning actor said: “I grew up with the original Edward Fox film and I loved it. When the scripts arrived, I thought: ‘I don’t want to touch this, I don’t want to butcher something I love,’ but it has been updated and has a very contemporary feel while retaining that old school, analogue spy quality.”

Also on the show is Little Women actress Saoirse Ronan, who spoke about her experience filming Sir Steve McQueen’s Blitz, set during the Second World War.

She said: “It is huge. So much of the sets were handmade with no real special effect. There was a lot of money pumped into it, and rightly so. The whole thing is very impressive, and it felt so real. It’s probably the biggest movie I’ve ever been in.”

Asked about working with her young co-star Elliott Heffernan, she said: “I had an affinity with him because I started acting at the same age and I was his ally in a way. I don’t think actors who start out as adults know what is expected of a kid. They have to do three hours of tutoring a day and they are dragged away from the amazing time they are having on set to do schooling, which is awful. I personally found it to be hell on earth, so I wanted him to feel he had another kid on set.”

US actor Denzel Washington, who also stars in Gladiator II alongside Mescal, spoke about his return to Broadway in Othello. “I played it at 22 and now I am playing it at 70 and I still remember some of it. I am terrified, curious and excited,” he said.

The stars were also joined by rock band Blossoms who performed the title track of their album Gary live in the studio.

The Graham Norton Show is on BBC One at 10.40pm.

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