One thing about Denzel Washington is that he always keeps it real! The well-respected actor shared more about the upcoming film which he stars in, Gladiator II.
In a recent interview with the LGBTQ-focused publication Gayety, Washington disclosed that one scene was removed from the film, and he wasn’t too pleased about it. Portraying Macrinus in Ridley Scott’s sequel, he told the outlet: “I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken.”
At 69 years old, Washington, who takes his craft extremely seriously, continued saying, “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.”
More on Denzel Washington’s Role In The New Film:
In the sequel to the iconic 2000 film starring Russell Crowe, Washington plays Macrinus—a former slave who plots to take over and control Rome. Notably, Macrinus is bisexual in the film, as are the emperors portrayed by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger.
Washington, known for his powerful performances, expressed in another interview just how significant this film and role are to him. “I’ll be seventy in December. I played Othello at twenty-two and Emperor Jones at twenty. So, I’ve been preparing for this role for fifty years.”
While fans are thrilled to see this latest Denzel film, some are saddened to learn that he plans to retire after a few more projects. “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 actor revealed to Australia’s TODAY a few days ago. However, he did mention that he will appear in Black Panther 3 before he exits the film industry.
Gladiator II is set to be released in the UK on November 15 and in the US on November 22.