Paul Mescal was ready to enter the arena on his own terms.

The The “Gladiator II” star revealed that while he was getting in top shape for the upcoming film, there were two things he refused to give up.

“I was working with a trainer who called me in like a shark and said, ‘There’s a canvas to work on,'” Mescal, 28, said during an appearance on Britain’s “Graham Norton Show” on Friday, per US Weekly. “He went to town and I saw him every day. It was fun.”

“I did everything he asked but I like to drink and I like to smoke,” the actor admitted, “so I drew a line in the sand as far as they were concerned.”

But it’s all about balance, as Mescal ate “a lot of chicken and lifted heavy things.”

“Gladiator II” takes place over two decades after the events of the original “Gladiator” movie, which starred Russell Crowe. In the sequel, Mescal plays the adult Lucius Verus II, son of Crowe’s character, Maximus, who ends up enslaved and becomes a gladiator to earn his freedom, much like his father did in the first film.

Mescal also touched on how he landed the role after speaking with director Ridley Scott over Zoom for just 30 minutes.

“Ridley doesn’t waste time,” he told host Graham Norton. “I thought it was going to be camera tests and auditions, but we zoomed in for half an hour, talked for 10 minutes about the part and then 20 minutes about Gaelic football, his dog and his wife.”

“I thought there would be more, but he called a few weeks later to offer me the role,” Mescal continued. “I think he just goes by instinct both on set and off and I’m very happy that’s how it went.”

The film also stars Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington – who portray the former slave and Lucius’ mentor, Macrinus.

Mescal reflected on meeting the Oscar winner, 69, on set.

“It was a big day in my life — it was amazing. I spent the first day thinking, ‘I have to go introduce myself to him,’ and I stood there for several minutes before I (decided), ‘No today,’ the actor recalled. “The next day I decided to be a brave boy.”

In July, Mescal showed off her physical transformation after Pascal, 49, shared a shirtless photo of the “Aftersun” alum on social media wearing only a burlap skirt and gold cuffs in her trailer.

In it Instagram pictureMescal flashed a smile while wearing a fake scar and a light beard.

Pascal captioned the image, along with a poster for the film, “Come get it. #Gladiator2 November 22.”

Fans flocked to the comments section to give their stamp of approval, with one user writing, “This is a lot for a Monday,” while another chimed in, “Let’s get em daddy.”

“Gladiator II” opens in theaters on Friday, November 22.