Denzel Washington reveals same-sex kiss was cut from Gladiator II

Denzel Washington has revealed he filmed a same-sex kiss for Gladiator II but the scene didn’t make the final cut.

In Ridley Scott’s epic sequel, the Oscar-winning actor plays Macrinus, a power player who uses his gladiators to rise up the ranks in Rome. In the film, he briefly mentions being attracted to both men and women.

During an interview with LGBTQ+ outlet Gayety, Washington claimed that studio executives were too “chicken” to keep in a moment where Macrinus kisses another man.

“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,” he replied when asked, “How gay is the Roman empire?”

Washington added that his ruthless character killed the man “about five minutes later” and quipped, “It’s the kiss of death.”

The Training Day actor stars alongside Paul Mescal as his gladiator Lucius, Connie Nielsen as Lucius’ mother Lucilla and Pedro Pascal as her husband, Roman general Marcus Acacius.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mescal revealed he kissed Pascal on the forehead during a fight scene but it wasn’t ultimately used.

“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?'” the Irish star recalled. “There was radio silence for a second. His radio crackles back and (sarcastically) goes, ‘I’m afraid I did.’ I think Ridley’s one of the funniest men I’ve ever come across.”

Gladiator II, the follow-up to 2000’s Gladiator, will be released in U.K. cinemas on Friday 15 November.