Denzel Washington revealed in a video interview with Gayety that he kissed a man on the lips while filming “Gladiator II,” but the scene was cut out from the theatrical cut of the long-awaited sequel. The Oscar winner stars in Ridley Scott’s film as Macrinus, a wealthy powerbroker in Rome who keeps a stable of gladiators for sport.
The “Gladiator II” script mentions that Macrinus has been in relationships with other men in the past, which prompted Gaytey to ask Washington: “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 then revealed. “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.”
Washington is earning Oscar buzz in the best supporting actor category for his scene-chewing performance as Macrinus. The role reunites the actor with director Ridley Scott after their work together on 2007’s crime drama “American Gangster,” and it was Scott’s involvement alone that convinced Washington to sign on for the sequel.
“I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” Washington told Empire magazine earlier this year. “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 has admitted in recent interviews that he is not sure how many acting jobs he’s got left before he retires, and therefore working with great directors is of the utmost importance for the remainder of his career.
“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. “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.”
“Gladiator II” opens in theaters Nov. 22 from Paramount Pictures. Watch Washington’s full interview with Gayety in the video below.
