Denzel Washington recently sat for an interview with Gayety, in which he revealed a particular scene was removed from the final cut of Gladiator II (2024). The scene sees the actor kiss another man, and he believes the reason for its deletion is because people just aren’t “ready for that yet.”
Gladiator II (2024)
Gladiator II is the long-anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s epic historical drama, Gladiator (2000). The film follows up on the legacy of the original, which won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. This time, the story shifts focus to Lucius, the young boy from the first, who’s now grown up, exploring themes of power, legacy and vengeance within the backdrop of ancient Rome.
The sequel boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Paul Mescal as Lucius, marking a significant turn in his career. Denzel Washington adds star power and depth to the role of former slave Macrinus, while returning collaborators, such as cinematographer John Mathieson, are expected to help maintain the sweeping, immersive visuals fans associate with the movies.
A kiss involving Denzel Washington and another man was cut
Denzel Washington’s character is described as a “Roman businessman who has amassed enormous wealth thanks to his acumen and brutal ambition.” However, there’s more to him than that. In the script for Gladiator II, it’s mentioned that Macrinus has been in relationships with men in the past, a fact most scholars agree was present in ancient Roman, although often kept private.
During the interview with Gayety, the actor was asked, “How gay is the Roman Empire?” He replied, “I actually kissed a man in the film, but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken. I kissed a guy full on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet. I killed him about five minutes later. It’s Gladiator. It’s the kiss of death.”
While the smooch may not have made it into the final cut, it hasn’t stopped rumors that Washington could be in the running for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars.
Denzel Washington needs a good director to make projects worth it
A big reason why Denzel Washington even accepted a role in Gladiator II was because of Ridley Scott. The film reunited the pair following their work together on American Gangster (2007).
“I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” the actor said while speaking separately with Empire. “We had a great go-round the first go-round and here we are. He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration. We should all want to feel like that at 86.”
As he himself continues to age, Washington admits that he’s unsure how man projects he’ll take on before he finally retires. Whatever projects he does choose, he said that working with great directors will be one of the most import deciding factors.
“For me, it’s about the filmmakers. Especially at this point in my career, I am only interested in working with the best,” he elaborated while speaking to an Australian television program. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. It’s probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.”
Ridley Scott says the same-sex kiss didn’t actually happen
Following Denzel Washington’s interview with Gayety, Ridley Scott came out to say that the same-sex kiss he mentioned didn’t happen. While attending the Hollywood premiere for Gladiator II on November 18, 2024, the director was asked about whether the scene was deleted, to which he responded, “No, that’s b******t.”
That’s not all. According to Scott, Washington and his co-star didn’t actually kiss – they were simply acting. “They never did,” he explained. “They acted the moment – it didn’t happen.”
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Washington was also asked about the kiss at the premiere, and he appeared to play it down. “It really is much ado about nothing,” he said. “They’re making more of it than it was. I kissed him on his hands, I gave him a peck and I killed him.”