Gladiator 2: Ridley Scott on Why Denzel Washington’s Kiss With a Man Was Cut
As nears its release, director and actor addressed reports of a deleted same-s*x kiss scene, clarifying its absence from the final cut. Cast members Connie Nielsen and producer Michael Pruss also discussed the film’s edits and their impact on the story.
Director Ridley Scott dismissed claims regarding a same-s*x kiss involving Denzel Washington in Gladiator 2, stating it “didn’t happen.” Speaking at the film’s premiere in Hollywood, Scott clarified, “They never did. They acted the moment — it didn’t happen,” in response to Washington’s earlier remarks suggesting the kiss was filmed but later cut (via Variety).
Connie Nielsen, reprising her role as Lucilla, weighed in on the deleted scenes, noting, “It’s not homophobia. It’s just there was no room for it.” She also revealed that the filmmakers had removed her grieving scene from the final cut. Producer Michael Pruss similarly minimized the significance of the omissions, saying, “There was so much stuff that was shot that didn’t make it into the film. It was truly a non-event.”
Denzel Washington addressed the controversy, downplaying its significance by calling the scene “much ado about nothing.” At the premiere, he explained, “I kissed him on his hands, I gave him a peck and I killed him.” Previously, in an interview with Gayety, Washington described the moment as “the kiss of death,” claiming, “I kissed a guy full on the lips, and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet. They cut it out. I killed him about five minutes later.”
The script reportedly acknowledges Washington’s character, Macrinus, as a powerbroker with past relationships involving men. Washington suggested that the decision to remove the kiss might have stemmed from hesitancy on the production team’s part. Despite this, he framed the scene’s exclusion as inconsequential to the broader story.
Gladiator 2 hits theaters on November 22, 2024. It features Washington, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn, among others, in major roles. In an interview
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