Ariana Grande and Paul Mescal have drawn surprising parallels between their 2024 movies, Wicked and Gladiator II, during an Actors on Actors chat for Variety. Grande, who plays Glinda in Wicked, suggested that both films share strong thematic similarities, such as the battle between good and evil, themes of dictatorship, and corrupt governments. Despite their obvious differences—Wicked being a musical prequel to The Wizard of Oz and Gladiator II an epic historical action film—she felt the two movies were oddly intertwined. Mescal, who stars as Lucius in Gladiator II, agreed, and even referenced the fact that both films debuted on November 22, 2024, in the U.S. He humorously described them as a thematic "double feature," offering different "meals" yet similar ideas. The two actors laughed at how well they were promoting each other’s films, embracing their shared thematic connection.