The actor, who played the lead character of Roman general Maximus in the 2000 historical epic, said the "moral core" of the story was what drew people into the original. Sir Ridley Scott's highly-anticipated sequel, starring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, received mixed reviews from film critics following its release last year. It won five Oscars, including best picture and best actor for Russell. Russell said there was a "daily fight on that set to keep that moral core of the character" when he was filming the original. The reviews for Gladiator II were mixed, with the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw calling the movie a "thrilling spectacle" and describing Paul as a "formidable lead".