Starring on 'The White Lotus' changed Fred Hechinger's life. Now, he's playing an unhinged emperor in 'Gladiator II.'

• Fred Hechinger plays Emperor Caracalla in Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II."
• The actor said that starring on "The White Lotus" changed his life.
• He'll next be seen in the Marvel movie "Kraven the Hunter."

On Fred Hechinger's first day on the set of "Gladiator II," he and his costar Joseph Quinn witnessed Paul Mescal's character face off against a rhino in a bloody battle at the Colosseum.

It didn't matter that they weren't in the actual Colosseum but a replica built by the movie's production, or that the rhino wasn't real but a remote-controlled animatronic creature. The result still rendered Hechinger, 24, "immediately speechless."

Day one ended up being a harbinger of the pinch-me experience Hechinger would have throughout filming Ridley Scott's epic sequel.

"The scale that I have felt watching Ridley's movies is mirrored in the experience of making them," Hechinger told Business Insider.

"Everywhere you looked, there was detail," he added. "The world felt like it was living around us and we were participating in it."

Those details helped Hechinger fully immerse himself in his role as Emperor Caracalla, one-half of the film's mercurial, unhinged ruling duo that turned Rome into a shadow of its former glory.

Hechinger's Caracalla is sick and twisted — a 'dangerous concoction'

"Gladiator II" is set 15 years after the death of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe). Under the rule of the villainous fraternal twin emperors Caracalla and Geta (Quinn), Rome's citizens have become pawns and means for amusement. One of those gladiators forced to perform for them is Lucius (Mescal), the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen).

The twins show off their excess wealth in gold-adorned outfits and accessories and laugh maniacally as gladiators fight to the death in the arena. The film also suggests that Caracalla's twisted persona is the result of syphilis corrupting his mind.

"He's sick in a lot of ways," Hechinger said. "I think there was something interesting about the story where you have a person who's really suffering, but in turn, creating immense suffering for an entire nation of people. His insularity matched with his sickness, which I felt was a very dangerous concoction."

"Gladiator II" is also a study of what unchecked power does to a civilization.

"People who are unwell, who have a lot of power, can frequently be surrounded by people who won't do anything about that," Hechinger added. "They'll just continue to let them destroy themselves and the world around them. And so I think everything that Caracalla is plagued by goes very untreated, both by himself and the people around him."

'The White Lotus' gave Hechinger his big break

Hechinger has come a long way since season one of HBO's "The White Lotus," in which he played Quinn Mossbacher, an awkward, tech-addicted teen visiting the titular resort's Hawaii location with his family.

"It completely changed my life," Hechinger said of the show, which became a sensation on HBO in 2021, earning 20 Emmy nominations for its first season. Filming on-location in Maui while quarantined during the pandemic also made for a unique bonding experience among the cast.

"We lived together. We broke bread every single night together," Hechinger said. "It felt like this troupe, this company of people, and in a more personal sense, it changed my life by getting to know them and becoming friends with those artists. I feel like I sought out such wisdom and had so much fun with everybody there."

That role opened doors for Hechinger to continue to grow in his career. Since then, he's starred in films and shows with Hollywood heavyweights like Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale.

"I always want to surprise audiences and tell stories that are entertaining and challenging at the same time," Hechinger said. "The wonderful reception toward that show has made that goal easier."

Hechinger prides himself on playing varied roles, whether he's a menacing emperor in "Gladiator II," a concerned grandson in "Thelma," or a school staff member in "Nickel Boys." Next month, he'll take his first foray into the superhero genre with "Kraven the Hunter," in which he reportedly plays the Marvel Comics character Chameleon.

Yet with his star on the rise, Hechinger isn't thinking too hard about his five-year plan.

"I don't have a particularly long view of things," he said. "I just think the most important thing is: are you telling vital stories?"

"Making something with a group of people is urgent a lot of the time," he added. "You're all deciding to gather in one place together and bring your heart and soul to the story. I feel revved by the people that are arriving at that."

"Gladiator II" is now in theaters.