All 6 Main Actor Performances In Gladiator 2, Ranked

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Gladiator II.

Ridley Scott’s latest film Gladiator II features strong main performances from its exceptional ensemble cast led by Paul Mescal as Lucius. Following the highly anticipated release of Gladiator II on November 22, 2024, the epic blockbuster sequel has received mostly positive reviews and a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 71%. Mescal leads the cast of Gladiator II alongside Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and Connie Nielsen, who reprises her role as Lucilla, the mother of Mescal’s Lucius. Gladiator II’s box office earned an impressive $50 million in its opening weekend, setting it up to become one of Ridley Scott’s highest-grossing films.

While early audience consensus isn’t exactly giving Gladiator II the same Oscar buzz as its predecessor, it is still in the running for several categories, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor for Denzel Washington. Reviews for Gladiator II have placed it in a similar realm as the original action classic, even though the film only features Maximus actor and Oscar winner Russell Crowe in flashbacks from the original. Gladiator II takes place roughly 16 years after Gladiator ends but introduces an additional scene that extends the original film’s ending and reveals why Lucilla parted ways with her and Maximus’s son, Lucius.

Gladiator II has left most viewers entertained despite its formulaic plot that edges awfully close to feeling like a remake of the original Gladiator rather than a true sequel. There is also the notable issue of the inconsistent and sometimes confusing accents in Gladiator II of Mescal’s Lucius, Washington’s Macrinus, and even Pescal’s Acadius. Even with these flaws, Gladiator II has become one of the biggest movie events of 2024 and has expanded the legacy of the original Best Picture winner, setting the stage for what could ultimately be an epic action trilogy. Ridley Scott has expressed no plans to retire from directing anytime soon, which is exciting for the future of his various blockbuster franchises such as Alien and Blade Runner.

Gladiator II
is now playing in theaters.

6 Fred Hechinger

As Emperor Caracalla

Fred Hechinger plays one of the two Roman Emperors in Gladiator II named Caracalla. As Emperor Geta’s brother, he and his fellow Emperor oversee the Roman Empire but are clearly unfit for the throne as evidenced by their characters in Gladiator II. The siblings are hedonistic, bloodthirsty, and quite careless with their power and Caracalla is much less measured and predictable than his royal brother. After making his feature film debut in Bo Burnham’s coming-of-age film Eighth Grade, Hechinger went on to appear in several other films and series such as The White Lotus, Fear Street, and Vox Lux, before landing the part in Gladiator II.

Hechinger’s character is mostly one-dimensional and does not require him to dig too deeply as an actor to portray the childlike behaviors of Caracalla. That being said, his character is overtly obnoxious and despicable, especially toward the end of the film when he essentially becomes Macrinus’s puppet. Compared to Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus from the original film, and even to Joseph Quinn’s Emperor Geta character, Hechinger’s role is effective in the story but awfully repetitive in character. Hechinger does well in conveying the idiocy of his character, which is not easy to do as an actor. However, the one-note quality of his detestable character may have been improved with a more experienced actor.

5 Connie Nielson

As Lucilla

Connie Nielson as Lucilla plays an essential link between the original film and the sequel and is nearly the only character from the original to reprise an original role. Lucilla is now married to Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius in Gladiator II and remains a powerful figure in Rome who has survived without the protection of her brother Commodus and the father of her child, Maximus. Lucilla is the mother of Mescal’s Lucius and the daughter of Marcus Aurelius, who also played a key role in the original movie. Lucilla single-handledly adds legitimate continuity to the sequel and is in many ways the most significant character in the plot of Gladiator II.

Nielson’s return as Lucilla was essential to the story of Gladiator II but arguably not a major selling point of the film. She was an important character to Maximus and his path to freedom, revenge, and redemption and repeated her purpose in the sequel by assisting Lucius and betraying the Roman Emperors once again. Nielson’s portrayal of Lucilla is as strong as it was in the original movie but also somewhat disappointing. Lucilla could have potentially held more sway and influence in the film but was mostly reduced to a role based on formality like she was in the original. While Nielson is compassionate and stoic in her performance, Lucilla can be quite flat at times.

4 Joseph Quinn

As Emperor Geta

Joseph Quinn showed promise as Emperor Geta in Gladiator II and could arguably have held his own as the sole Emperor without his unhinged brother. Quinn gained prominence after appearing in series such as Dickensian, Catherine the Great, and Small Axe but is best known for his role as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things. He was also in the recent blockbuster A Quiet Place: Day One and will rejoin Pascal in the upcoming MCU movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps in which he will take on the role of Johnny Storm / Human Torch. Quinn’s Geta showed more poise than his Emperor brother and had the potential to become a much more formidable villain.

Quinn is a strong and convincing antagonist and Emperor in Gladiator II who was regrettably not given much to work with as Geta. Like Caracalla, his character is quite limited but Quinn offers more elements that actually make him more unsettling and fierce, which makes his role as Emperor more believable. Quinn certainly feels underutilized given his track record, especially compared to the amount of screen time given to Pheonix’s Commodus in the original film. Quinn has one of the strongest performances in Gladiator II but is unfortunately not in the movie long enough to make a lasting impression.

3 Paul Mescal

As Lucius

Mescal is one of the most talented and wide-ranging rising actors of his generation. He initially gained acclaim from his leading role in the romance series Normal People before going on to appear in celebrated films such as All of Us Strangers and Aftersun, the latter of which earned him a Best Actor nomination. Mescal has previously expressed great emotional depth and knowledge in his past characters, which makes his more straightforward role as Lucius, son of Maximus, seem somewhat strange at face value. As a result, Mescal has received some internet backlash for being miscast as Lucius in Gladiator II.

Those who would disagree with the argument that Mescal was miscast in Gladiator II would highlight the actor’s demonstrated ability to commit to the demands of such a physical role. Mescal’s Lucius doesn’t allow him to explore the complexities of his protagonists as much as he’s used to, but that certainly doesn’t mean he is incapable of the part. If anything, his portrayal of Lucius reaffirms his impressive range and sets the stage for more action-based films down the line. Mescal shows a surprising tenacity and ferociousness as Lucius that may feel repetitive and limited. However, it sounds like more of a character critique than a fault of the actor.

2 Pedro Pascal

As General Acacius

Pedro Pascal has become one of the most recognizable faces in film and television after his outstanding performances in works such as Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us. Pascal’s General Acadius is one of the more developed and complex characters in the film as he becomes both an enemy and a sympathizer of Lucius once he comes to know him. Acadius is a reluctant but loyal servant to Rome who endures the mistreatment and often ridiculous demands of the two Emperor brothers. Pascal plays Acadius with wisdom and emotional depth that is surprising for his General character. He is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the film.

Pascal’s Acadius arguably has the most interesting and unpredictable character arc of the movie which is likely why Scott wanted an actor of Pascal’s caliber to take on the role. A less sophisticated General might have blindly served Rome and could not have separated his love for Lucilla from his duties to the Empire. His personal gripes with the Emperors are tense and realized through Pascal’s subtle yet potent acting cues. Pascal excels at playing an honorable and sacrificial hero, as shown on full display in his previous works, and nails Acadius through and through as he does with most of his roles.

1 Denzel Washington

As Macrinus

Denzel Washington unsurprisingly stole just about every scene he was a part of in Gladiator II, bringing a larger-than-life protagonist feel in a supporting role that could earn him his third acting Oscar. Washington has previously won two acting Oscars, a Best Actor Oscar for 1989’s Glory directed by Edward Zwick, and a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 2001’s Training Day directed by Antoine Fuqua. This puts him in an elite category of actors who have won two Academy Awards in acting categories, including Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, and Tom Hanks.

Washington winning a third Oscar in an acting category would place him in even more rarefied air along the likes of industry legends such as Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, Walter Brennan, Ingrid Bergman, and Frances McDormand. He could very well accomplish this with his performance as the devious and calculated Macrinus, who initially shared a common goal with Lucius of tearing down Rome and rebuilding it under a new ruler. Washington’s command is one of his greatest gifts as an actor and is felt throughout every frame he’s in. Even among a strong ensemble, Washington delivers the greatest performance in Gladiator II.

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