Paul Mescal, who has previously portrayed alpha male characters, will be playing a gay character in his upcoming film, ‘The History of Sound’. At a press conference in Cannes, he stated that cinema is “moving away” from traditional male roles.
“It’s ever shifting,” the actor shared. “I think maybe in cinema we’re moving away from the traditional, alpha, leading male characters.” He added, “I don’t think the film is defining or attempting to redefine masculinity, I think it is being very subjective to the relationship between [their characters] Lionel and David.”
Conversely, Oliver Hermanus’ gay romance film has drawn comparisons to the hit movie ‘Brokeback Mountain’. However, the ‘Gladiator’ star dismissed these comparisons as “lazy and frustrating,” explaining, “I personally don’t see the parallels at all with ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ other than we spent a little time in a tent.”
He continued, “[‘Brokeback’] is a beautiful film but it is dealing with the idea of repression … I find those comparisons relatively lazy and frustrating.” The actor further added, “But for the most part I think the relationship I have to the film is born out of the fact that it’s a celebration between these men’s love and not the repression of their sexuality.”
Paul Mescal’s ‘The History of Sound’ premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
