Paul Mescal abhors the word “content”

Don’t let Paul Mescal’s blockbuster legacyquel ascendancy fool you. He’s still an actor with principles about making art. “Over the last few years people have been talking about films as content,” he says in a new interview with The Times. “That’s a filthy word. It’s not ‘content,’ it’s fucking work.”

In the past, Mescal has been delicate about not wanting to star in any Marvel films because he doesn’t want to be hindered from ever doing a great indie film. Mescal is somewhat less delicate as he now says, “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 filmmaking, directing, lighting, and production design. That keeps artists alive.”

The Gladiator II star’s opinions are certainly shared by others in the industry. Last year, Emma Thompson similarly lamented that there should be a closer relationship “between the executives and the creative branch,” adding, “To hear people talk about ‘content’ makes me feel like the stuffing inside a sofa cushion.” Speaking at the Royal Television Society Conference (via Variety), she said, “‘Content,’ what do you mean ‘content’? It’s just rude, actually. It’s just a rude word for creative people. I know there are students in the audience: you don’t want to hear your stories described as ‘content’ or your acting or your producing described as ‘content.’ That’s just like coffee grounds in the sink or something. It’s, I think, a very misleading word. And I think it’s one of the things that maybe the language around the way in which we speak to one another, and the way in which the executives speak to creatives, the way in which we have to understand one another and combine better.”