Happy Friday. What we blog in life echoes in eternity.
The Dudes in the Arena
Gladiator II is officially out today. To mark the occasion of Ridley Scott’s latest epic, GQ.com has been observing Gladiator Week. If you want to learn how to get achievably ripped like Paul Mescal, while still having a drink or a cig, trainer Tim Blakely spilled the Irish actor’s secrets. And on the heels of the hero himself gracing the cover of GQ’s November issue, we brought you a profile of his delightfully evil villain counterpart, the charming up-and-comer Fred Hechinger. (Then we hung with both of them at a Gladiator II screening hosted by GQ, Paramount, and Cartier. Check out the pics here.) We unpacked resident Sopranos psychopath Ralphie Cifaretto’s obsession with the original film and looked back at the Nick Cave-written Gladiator sequel that almost was. Finally, we helped you slip into something more comfortable for the weekend with a rundown of all the sumptuous robes Denzel Washington wears in Gladiator II.
More Washingtons
Speaking of Denzel, GQ’s Frazier Tharpe profiled his sons John David and Malcolm for our latest GQ Hype cover story. He spent time with the two members of Hollywood’s most interesting dynasty for their new project, an adaptation of The Piano Lesson starring John David, directed by Malcolm, and produced by pops. “Confronting legacy, Malcolm’s film argues, is inevitable,” Tharpe writes. “It can also be a spiritual experience.”
More Robes
And speaking of robes: read a rollicking profile of the legendary comedian Katt Williams by Matthew Trammell from GQ’s Man of the Year Issue. And while you’re at it, feast your eyes on Williams’s many fantastical robes, accompanied by four magic words—all clothing subject’s own.
More Everything Else
GQ’s Raymond Ang profiled Hacks’s Hannah Einbinder, who imparted some words of wisdom borne of personal experience: “I think moms shouldn’t have Twitter. They certainly shouldn’t have a hundred thousand followers.” Raymond also interviewed German actor Franz Rogowski, the most interesting man (and certainly the most interesting face) in independent cinema right now, ahead of his new film Bird with Barry Keoghan. Frazier tells us how he really feels about Mission: Impossible III. And because the spice should always be flowing, resident Dune expert Colin Groundwater returned with the only guide you need to understand Dune: Prophecy, HBO’s prequel series to Dune starring Mark Strong, Emily Watson, and Travis Fimmell. And as you await the next episode, please sign my Change.org petition to force Mark Strong to revert to his magnificent birth name, Marco Giuseppe Salussolia.
