Ridley Scott is setting the record straight regarding a rumored same-sex kiss featuring Denzel Washington in "Gladiator II." When quizzed about the scene during the film's Hollywood premiere, the director clarified in an interview with Variety that while the scene was "acted out," it ultimately never made it to the cameras. An interviewer from the outlet recounted to the 86-year-old Scott, "Denzel mentioned he kissed a man on the lips, but it didn't end up in the final edit." Scott promptly refuted, "No, that's nonsense." He further elaborated that, while there was a moment involving Washington's character Macrinus and "a senator," he clarified, "They never actually kissed. They just acted out the moment; it never happened."
Similarly, 69-year-old Washington was questioned about the scene at the premiere. He informed Variety that it was merely a "peck" and not a full-fledged "kiss," describing the whole ordeal as "much ado about nothing." The two-time Academy Award winner commented, "They're blowing it out of proportion. I kissed him on the hands, gave him a peck, and then killed him." Washington had previously mentioned kissing a male co-star in a deleted scene when asked about the sequel's gay content, stating, "I actually kissed a man in the film, but they took it out. They cut it," he told Gayety earlier this month. "I think they got cold feet." He added with a chuckle, "I kissed a guy full on the lips, and I guess they weren't ready for that yet," before jesting that he "killed him about five minutes later" in a scene he dubbed the "kiss of death."
Apparently, that wasn't the only kiss scene destined for the cutting-room floor. Paul Mescal, another star of the film, revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he rehearsed a forehead kiss with Pedro Pascal, which also didn't make the final cut. Mescal recounted, "I did it in one of the takes, and then we got the radio messages back to Ridley [in video village]. I asked, 'Ridley, did you like the kiss on the forehead? Yay or nay?' There was a moment of radio silence. Then his radio crackled, and he said, 'I'm afraid I didn't.'"
Written by David Scarpa (of the 2023 historical epic "Napoleon," also directed by Scott), "Gladiator II" also stars Joseph Quinn and May Calamawy, continuing the saga from the original film. The original movie followed Maximus (played by Russell Crowe), a Roman general betrayed by the evil emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who rises through the ranks as a gladiator to seek revenge for the murder of his family.
"Gladiator II" hits theaters on Friday, November 22.
