Denzel Washington revealed that a same-sex kiss scene was removed from the final cut of Gladiator II. In a video interview with Gayety, Washington, who portrays Macrinus, a wealthy Roman powerbroker managing a stable of gladiators for sport, discussed the excised moment. The revelation came after a question about his character’s past relationships with men when the outlet asked: “How gay is the Roman empire?”
“I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken,” Washington disclosed in the video interview. “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.”
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This wasn’t the only kiss scene removed from Ridley Scott’s film. Actor Paul Mescal shared with Entertainment Weekly an improvised moment with Pedro Pascal: “There was a moment when we were rehearsing my fight scene with Pedro, and I had an idea towards the end of the scene to kiss Pedro on the forehead.” The director initially approved, as Mescal recalled: “I did it in one of the takes, and then we’re getting the radio messages back to Ridley and I was like, ‘Ridley: Kiss on the forehead, did you like it? Yay or nay?’ There was radio silence for a second. His radio crackles back and goes ‘I’m afraid I did.’”
The film, which brings audiences “the glory and gore of the Roman Empire: swords will be unsheathed, heroes will rise,” marks Washington’s significant return to Scott’s direction. Their collaboration follows their successful 2007 partnership on American Gangster, and Scott’s involvement alone convinced Washington to join the sequel. Washington’s scene-chewing performance as Macrinus, a character whose past relationships with other men are specifically detailed in the script, is already generating Oscar buzz in the best supporting actor category.
“I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” Washington told Empire magazine earlier this year, discussing his decision to join the project. “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.”
Washington, contemplating the final phase of his acting career, emphasized his focus on working with premier filmmakers. “For me it’s about the filmmakers. Especially at this point in my career, I am only interested in working with the best,” he told Australia’s Today program per Variety. “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.”
The highly anticipated sequel to the 2000 historical epic features a stellar cast including Mescal, Pascal, and Washington, bringing fresh perspectives to the Roman Empire saga. Gladiator II makes its theatrical debut on Nov. 22 through Paramount Pictures.
