As pop culture lookalikes take over city parks and social feeds around the globe, among them emerged Jack Wall O'Reilly — Paul Mescal's doppelgänger who won a lookalike contest with his impressive shorts, baseball cap, and hoodie earlier this month.
While stopping by Zoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show alongside his Gladiator II co-stars Denzel Washington and Connie Nielsen, Ball introduced Mescal to Wall O'Reilly via video call.
“This is bananas,” exclaimed Mescal, who laughed. “I saw the photo, you captured the spirit of me very well.” Referencing O'Reilly's ode to his signature short shorts, Mescal commended his lookalike: “It was a fully committed look.”
The uncanniness prompted a request from Washington, who commented, “Wait, wait. Turn sideways. I want to see the profile!”
Wall O'Reilly said, “Yeah, everyone says it's the profile,” then proceeded to turn his head from side-to-side, eliciting gasps from the studio.
Before signing off, Wall O'Reilly shared that he had just graduated with a Masters in Screenwriting. “I am a huge fan, massive respect for everyone there,” he said. “Obviously Paul, Aftersun is one of my favorite films. He is a great inspiration for young creative people in Ireland and all around the world. And I hope some day through the appropriate channels, when I have got an idea I am passionate and it is developed enough, that maybe I might get to bring it to you.”
The actor replied, “Oh Jack, you are an absolute gentleman. So, so sweet.”
The upcoming Gladiators sequel featuring Mescal, Washington, and Nielsen is set to premiere in theaters this Friday, serving as a continuation of the original film decades later after its tumultuous ending.
Director Ridley Scott told the Associated Press that it could be his best film yet. “I think I might be right. I don't want to count my chickens,” he said. “But it's pretty (expletive) good.”
