Paul Mescal Laments Films Being Labeled as ‘Content’: ‘That’s a Filthy Word’

"I’m not being snobby, but there are two concurrent industries: One that works with a lack of care, artistic integrity. Go nuts, make stuff with Instagram followers as a factor, whatever."

Paul Mescal has no patience for comparing filmmaking to content creation.

The “Gladiator II” star told The Sunday Times that he finds the label of films as “content” to be a “filthy” practice, akin to putting influencers side by side with auteurs.

“Over the last few years people have been talking about films as content,” Mescal said. “That’s a filthy word. It’s not ‘content’, it’s fucking work.”

He continued, “I’m not being snobby, but there are two concurrent industries. One that works with a lack of care, artistic integrity. Go nuts, make stuff with Instagram followers as a factor, whatever … But the other is what has always been there — the craft of film — making, directing, lighting and production design. That keeps artists alive.”

While “Gladiator II” marks Mescal’s first major studio role after his rise as an indie icon, Mescal admitted that he wants to keep his independent mentality when it comes to stardom.

“If the film impacts my life in that way I’ll be in a bad spot,” Mescal said. “I’d have to move on and do an obtuse play nobody wants to see.”

Mescal recently led the West End revival of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” and is set to star in Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s “Hamnet” as Shakespeare. The “Aftersun” actor is also filming Richard Linklater’s “Merrily We Roll Along” across 20 years. Mescal emphasized to IndieWire that “indie cinema is where I want to live and be. So to be in the middle of that is something that I take great pride in.”

Mescal added in another IndieWire interview, “​I love a blockbuster as much as the next person, but my only point is that we have to be careful about just leaving a bit more space for films like ‘Aftersun’ to break out… I really don’t think I’m snobby about it. It’s actually to do with just being worried that that space [for independent film] is being encroached upon. And if we don’t keep the ecosystem balanced, we’re just gonna have one kind of film.”

“Gladiator II” premieres November 22 in theaters. Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Pedro Pascal, co-star in the Ridley Scott epic sequel.