Paul Mescal Detests Films Being Called ‘Content’

While the flood of social media content has blurred the lines between traditional media and TikTok videos, actor Paul Mescal appreciates a distinction between the two. The “Gladiator II” star would very much prefer films not be referred to as “content.”

Mescal made this assertion in a recent interview with The Times, in which he explained that, for him, referring to movies as “content” is an insult to the amount of work and intention that goes into crafting them.

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

“I’m not being snobby, but there are two concurrent industries,” he continued. “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.”

Mescal shot to fame with his starring role in the Hulu drama series “Normal People,” which became a fan favorite during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Since then, he’s starred in films like “All of Us Strangers” and “Aftersun,” for which he scored an Oscar nomination. In “Gladiator II,” he plays the son of Russell Crowe’s character.