Paul Mescal might be just a tad too proficient in his craft. The 28-year-old actor meticulously sculpted his physique for 'Gladiator II,' so much so that the filmmakers insisted on him being shirtless in as many scenes as possible, as revealed by his personal trainer, Tim Blakeley. In a conversation with The Post, Blakeley divulged the unconventional method he used to help the Irish actor achieve a quick muscle pump on set: Coca-Cola.

Mescal's striking physique was the result of intense effort. He had just 12 weeks to transform his body after director Ridley Scott informed him he would be portraying the film's protagonist, Lucius. With a packed schedule performing in Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire' on London's West End, time was of the essence. Facing the pressure of a major film, Mescal required the ideal personal trainer to ready him for the rigors of the Roman colosseum. Enter Blakeley, a Royal Navy veteran, seasoned bodybuilder, personal trainer, and owner of Media Physiques, a firm specializing in preparing actors for camera-ready physiques.

Blakeley's client list includes a host of Hollywood stars, such as John Boyega, Luke Evans, Thandiwe Newton, and Taron Egerton. From the outset, Mescal's training regimen focused on enhancing 'size and strength.' 'We needed to build muscle mass quickly,' Blakeley told The Post. The actor trained five to six days a week, targeting different body parts each session. However, Mescal didn't need lengthy workouts; 45 minutes to an hour per session sufficed. According to Blakeley, extending the duration beyond that was counterproductive.

'Once the body is stressed and loaded, eliciting a training response, additional sets or reps only burn calories,' he explained. 'Body parts can be effectively trained in under an hour.' Blakeley emphasized the necessity for efficiency, given the tight schedule. Mescal, with his background in Gaelic football and a results-oriented mindset, approached the training with precision. 'With Paul, there are no wasted sets. We'd do a couple of warm-up sets, check his form with a feeder set, then two working sets to failure or near failure, and move on to the next exercise,' Blakeley described.

'Paul is one of the hardest-working actors in the industry,' Blakeley added, noting Mescal's disciplined attitude: 'head down and get it done.' Mescal never missed a session and remained fully focused in the gym, with no distractions like phones. While Mescal occasionally questioned the training regimen, Blakeley always had the final say. After three months of rigorous training, consuming 300 grams of protein daily (with the occasional gin and tonic), Mescal was ready for his role. However, his impressive physique led to more shirtless scenes than anticipated.

'Because he looked so good, many scenes required him to be shirtless,' Blakeley recalled. This posed a challenge, as most actors prepare for one or two shirtless scenes, whereas Mescal had to maintain his physique daily. Traditional methods like water-cutting were impractical due to the physical demands and heat during filming in Malta and Morocco. However, Blakeley had a unique strategy to help Mescal achieve a quick pump before a take: Coca-Cola.

'Because he enjoys Coke, for controllable scenes, I'd let him have some to boost glycogen in the muscles, resulting in a better pump,' Blakeley explained. While Blakeley helped sculpt Mescal's body, the actor himself envisioned the desired physique. Mescal opted for athleticism and authenticity over the 'underwear model body,' aiming to feel 'capable.' The production team, including Ridley Scott, trusted Mescal's vision for his character's physique.

'Once I met Paul, he had a strong rapport with Ridley—he trusted him completely,' Blakeley shared. 'Ridley was content for Paul to guide how his character should look.' The filmmakers' only directive was for Mescal to get bigger and stronger, which he fully embraced. 'His character is a highly skilled and competent fighter, requiring strength, agility, and speed. He had the agility and speed; he just needed the size and strength,' Blakeley concluded.

'Gladiator II' premieres on Friday, November 22.

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