Paul Mescal has no patience for comparing filmmaking to content creation. The “Gladiator II” star told The Sunday Times that he finds the label of films as “content” to be a “filthy” practice, akin to putting influencers side by side with auteurs.

Actor Paul Mescal, Oscar-nominated star of “Aftersun” and the forthcoming “Gladiator II,” is an artist. He takes his work seriously, and he doesn’t like it being described using the word that reduces it to a soulless economic widget: ...

In the past, Mescal has been delicate about not wanting to star in any Marvel films because he doesn’t want to be hindered from ever doing a great indie film. Mescal is somewhat less delicate as he now says,