A quartet of stars, headed by Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, were on hand Monday in Tokyo to celebrate “Gladiator II” and its master filmmaker Ridley Scott. Mescal, who plays the gladiator Lucius,

For Paul Mescal, every moment of filming Gladiator II was challenging in its own unique way. From the movie’s $250 million budget to acting with Hollywood icons, the 28-year-old faced novel circumstances that stretched his abilities.

The actor was cast after a single conversation that he said was mostly about director Ridley Scott's passion for gaelic football.