Paul Mescal Had A Relatable Reaction To Meeting Denzel Washington

One of the greatest actors of all time is named Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. He goes by Denzel Washington. Regardless, I nearly referred to him as simply Denzel in the headline because I knew that would be enough. He is not being mistaken for anyone else. It’s not because there aren’t other Denzels in the world. It’s because his talent, career, essence, swagger, charm, smile, good looks, skill, and just about everything about the man is legendary.

Denzel’s celebrity status is like few others. It’s not just that he is well-known and well-liked, he’s very f***ing good at what he does. There is an aura around him generated by his absolute mastery of his craft. There is no hyperbole. Denzel is not paying me to write any of this. The man is that good, deserves to be written about in such terms, and understandably makes his co-stars hella nervous.

The incredibly talented actor will star in Gladiator II this fall. It is a film I never anticipated being as excited about as I am. I remember liking the first movie but never revisiting it. Ridley Scott is not one of my favorite filmmakers, but he has made one of my favorite films (Alien). I’ve never seen Paul Mescal in anything, but I’ve heard he’s quite good! At the very least, I relate to the fact that he had to work himself up to say hi to Denzel.

“The first day that I was actually working with Denzel, he was up in the box, and I was rolling around fighting some monkeys or something. And at the end of the day, I was like, ‘God I must go up—” Mescal recently said on The Graham Norton Show. He added, addressing Denzel, “I haven’t told you this—and introduce myself to Denzel.’” Makes sense to me! If you’re about to work with one of the greatest living actors, there are going to be some nerves, even if you are a star in your own right.

Regardless of Mescal’s standing in the acting world, and the fact that he is the lead in the film, he still couldn’t get up the nerve at first. “I was stood at the bottom of the steps, and I stood there for a couple of minutes, and I said, ‘Not today,’” he explained. “So I bailed out and I ran to my dressing room and was like, ‘Tomorrow I’m going to be a brave boy.’” I’d be hard-pressed to say I wouldn’t do the same thing. Again, it’s Denzel! Denzel Washington!!

Mescal did work up the nerve eventually and met the legendary performer. “The second day, I waited at the bottom of the stairs, and I was like, ‘Just gotta stay put,’” Mescal said on the show. “And Denzel walks down, and it was like, ‘Oh, God, here we go.’ And he shook my hand, and I just felt extraordinary.” Denzel then joked that the actor should “Stop workin’ out,” which delighted the young star. Still, what happened next delighted him more.

Denzel Washington, one of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen or stage, heaped praise on Mescal. “Let me say this: This kid delivers. I’m a pretty good actor. I’m serious, trust me. I saw it when Russell [Crowe, star of Gladiator] did it — he delivered. This kid delivered.” That’s Denzel saying that! Denzel Washington!! If I were Mescal I would have that quote printed on a shirt and I would wear it every damn day.