SNL's Wicked-Inspired Gladiator II Musical Showcased Paul Mescal's Singing Talent
It wan't the first time the Irish actor has flexed his vocal chops onscreen — and he (literally) slayed the pretaped sketch.
The simultaneous theatrical releases of Gladiator II and Wicked Part 1 — an event deemed "Glicked," in an attempt to evoke the "Barbenheimer" craze of July 2023 — was a classic case of offering something for everyone. Were you in the mood for a testosterone-heavy film packed with bloody action scenes, or an eye-popping, richly-hued musical opus? Well, Saturday Night Live's "Gladiator II Trailer" sketch starring Paul Mescal asked: Why choose when you can have both?
"Gladiator 2 is a hit, earning over $300 million worldwide. But then we saw the massive success of Moana 2 and Wicked," a voiceover states at the top of the December 7 pretaped sketch. "So, after some rushed reshoots, Gladiator II is now a musical."
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A musical that serves as a showcase for Paul Mescal's real-life skills as a singer, no less. Playing Lucius, the character he actually portrayed in the Gladiator II sequel, Mescal literally slays (his opponents) as he belts his heart out at the same time.
Several Season 50 cast members also got to shine in song, including Kenan Thompson, new Featured Player Jane Wickline, and Bowen Yang (who also acted in Wicked, adding an extra layer of "meta" to the sketch's premise).
Paul Mescal slays the lyrics in SNL's Gladiator II musical
The "Gladiator II Trailer" sketch was written by Mikey Day, Streeter Seidell, and Jane Wickline and directed by Mike Diva. "Yes, that is Paul Mescal singing," Seidell wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"It's the same violent historical epic audiences have been raving about, but with an extra 50 minutes of songs," the voiceover continues to explain, before Thompson and Yang's characters open with an extremely Wicked-coded "No Place Like Rome" number.
"They look at me, and all they see is a killing machine / But they don't know, that far below, I'm so much more than I seem," Mescal sings, as he starts dramatically brandishing his sword in the arena. "They call me Gladi-a-tor. They call me slave. They call me a killer — but someday they'll know my naaame!" Though Mescal copped to his lack of comedic acting credits during his SNL monologue, he's hysterical as he erupts into a funky bounce while bursting into song, musical-style.
"I'm gonna stab my way to freedom, cut my way to the next act / And while I'm in the Colosseum, when I go on the attack," Mescal continues, as he beheads two soldiers with a jazzy flair. "Someday they'll know my name!"
Meanwhile, Wickline plays a "beautiful wife," hanging clothes on a line, while Mescal and Mikey Day crush a Lin-Manuel Miranda-style rap as Lucius and wild-eyed Emperor Geta.
Watch SNL's "Gladiator II Trailer" above, and stream every episode of Saturday Night Live on Peacock anytime.
Does Paul Mescal sing?
Yes.
In addition to singing during his SNL episode, Mescal sings in real life and he's also done it onscreen in previous roles. In the 2022 film Carmen opposite Melissa Barrera, he sang the officially-released folk ballad "Slip Away," while strumming an acoustic guitar. Watch that here.
Since rising to fame, other clips of the Oscar-nominated actor have hit the internet, including a 2020 video of Mescal singing alongside Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy.
