Denzel Washington hits back at Gladiator 2 accent controversy

Denzel Washington has revealed wherefore helium stuck with his American accent to play his relation arsenic a erstwhile North African enslaved successful Gladiator 2. 

Washington, looks acceptable to diagnostic prominently successful the upcoming movie playing Macrinus, a quality who schemes to power Rome and becomes a brutal mentor to Lucius, portrayed by Paul Mescal.

When the Gladiator 2 trailer dropped past month, fans rapidly noticed that the 69-year-old  wasn’t attempting to usage an African accent oregon adjacent somewhat power up his precise distinctive dependable for the upcoming sequel to Sir Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. 

It stood retired each the much due to the fact that the bulk of his co-stars’ characters person British accents.

Addressing the determination successful a caller interrogation with Empire, the Oscar-winning histrion – known for deed movies including Flight, Training Day and Fences - explained: "Well, the happening was, wherever are we?

“Whose accent would it be? What does that dependable similar anyway?" He added: "You’re going to extremity up imitating idiosyncratic and extremity up with a atrocious African accent."

The actor's prime inactive sparks reactions connected societal media. One idiosyncratic connected X, commented: "Denzel Washington, similar different large actors earlier him—Katharine Hepburn and Sidney Poitier—has decided that immoderate accent helium has is what accent the quality has."

Another wrote: "I emotion Denzel but his accent sticks retired similar a sore thumb and is excessively distracting successful Gladiator.” A 3rd comented, “I deliberation it’s kinda disrespectful that he’s playing an African and hasn’t adjacent tried to bash immoderate signifier of the accent - lazy."

Defending the actor, a instrumentality commented: "Imagine criticising THE Denzel Washington astir his accent successful a movie acceptable successful Rome wherever everyone is speaking checks notes ENGLISH."

Meanwhile, 1 joked: "I emotion however successful the trailer everyone has a British accent and Denzel inactive sounds similar a antheral from circular the way."

Fans person besides been pointing retired however remarkably youthful Washington, who turns 70 successful December, looks successful the film, with 1 tweeting: "I don’t cognize however I’m expected to act. A 60+ antheral is the oldest and hottest antheral successful this movie."

Despite the buzz astir Gladiator 2, Washington also  hinted that his clip successful beforehand of the camera mightiness beryllium winding down arsenic determination are not galore projects offered to him these days that appeal. 

"There are fewer films I’m funny successful making these days," helium told Empire. "I person to beryllium inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley... He’s an inspiration. We should each privation to consciousness similar that astatine 86."

Gladiator 2 is acceptable for merchandise connected November 15.