Ridley Scott denies Denzel Washington’s same-sex kiss claim as ‘bulls**t’ in Gladiator 2

Sir Ridley Scott has firmly refuted Denzel Washington’s assertion helium kissed a antheral in Gladiator II – lone to spot it chopped from the last film.

And successful emblematic straightforward Sir Ridley fashion, helium called the actor’s communicative ‘bulls**t’.

The highly-anticipated sequel follows Maximus’ (Russell Crowe) and Lucilla’s (returning prima Connie Nielsen) lad Lucius (Paul Mescal), who enters the Colosseum arsenic an enslaved gladiator with a thirst for revenge aft his beingness is destroyed by General Acacius (Pedro Pascal).

His conflict prowess successful the arena impresses his caller owner, the scheming Macrinus (Washington), who decides to manner him into a prima nether the thumb of the Roman Empire.

Washington, whose character’s past relationships with men are mentioned and is written arsenic bisexual, said that helium ‘kissed a feline afloat connected the lips’ soon earlier sidesplitting him successful 1 scene.

Expressing his disappointment implicit the edit, helium added: ‘I conjecture they weren’t acceptable for that yet.’

As with the Ancient Greeks, intersexual relationships among men were a communal capable occurrence during the civilization of the Roman Empire.

But Sir Ridley seems to person a antithetic recollection of events to that of his star.

‘No, that’s bulls**t,’ helium insisted to Variety astatine the film’s Los Angeles premiere connected Monday night. ‘They ne'er did. They acted the infinitesimal – it didn’t happen.’

Meanwhile, 69-year-old Washington told the outlet connected the reddish carpet that his remarks had been blown retired of proportionality and it was simply ‘a peck’ connected the lips.

‘It truly is overmuch ado astir nothing,’ the Training Day prima stated. ‘They’re making much of it than it was. I kissed him connected his hands, I gave him a peck and I killed him.’

During an interrogation with LGBTQ+ outlet Gayety recently, Washington discussed his quality Macrinus, who is attracted to some men and women, and claimed the makers ‘got chicken’ by cutting retired his same-sex kiss.

Are you bittersweet the buss was chopped retired of Gladiator II?Comment Now

‘I really kissed a antheral successful the movie but they took it out, they chopped it, I deliberation they got chicken,’ helium revealed portion discussing however cheery the Roman Empire is.

‘I kissed a feline afloat connected the lips and I conjecture they weren’t acceptable for that yet. I killed him astir 5 minutes later. It’s Gladiator. It’s the buss of death.’

As Macrinus is alternatively a ruthless type, there’s really much than 1 campaigner for his kiss, but it seems arsenic though recollections alteration implicit whether oregon not the cameras were rolling during the moment.

Washington’s co-star Nielsen addressed the omission astatine the Governors Awards successful Los Angeles connected Sunday night, telling Variety that her ‘grieving scene’ didn’t marque it into the movie either and that ‘it’s not homophobia. It’s conscionable determination was nary country for it’.

Producer Michael Pruss besides added: ‘There was truthful overmuch worldly that was changeable that didn’t marque it into the film. It was genuinely a non-event.’

However, it hasn’t stopped fans sharing their daze and heartbreak astatine what could person been.

‘I can’t judge I beryllium successful a beingness wherever Denzel is like, “they weren’t acceptable to spot maine kissing different men!!!”‘ @gabalexa wrote connected X.

‘How overmuch suffering tin we take,’ @rosedommu added.

‘Having a Denzel Gay Kiss ON FILM and past choosing, wholly of your ain will, NOT TO USE IT should really beryllium considered a transgression against humanity,’ @jordanblocked echoed.

‘Cowards, astir apt would’ve been the astir historically close portion of the movie,’ @hijade2madre shared.

Countless much besides called for the ‘Denzel Washington cut’ to beryllium released.

The movie has secured a devoted LGBTQ+ fanbase with its inclusion of stars specified arsenic Mescal and Pascal, who are steadfast favourites wrong the community.

As enactment by GQ: ‘Your movie tin lone boast truthful galore close-ups of a shirtless Paul Mescal – sweat glistening implicit the aboveground of his pulsating biceps and taut stomach, lit arsenic generously arsenic an OnlyFans sprout – earlier it starts to consciousness a little… fruity.’

Although we won’t get to spot this facet of Washington’s show play retired onscreen, helium has plentifulness much to connection to the film, with critics praising his Oscar-worthy performance.

Metro’s review raved: ‘The Training Day prima is conscionable truthful good, truthful supremely assured and charismatic, truthful over-the-top that I would emotion to spot different Oscar travel his way.’

‘Washington astir steals the full picture,’ The Guardian’s four-star reappraisal observed, portion The Independent praised his ‘sleeve acting’ and added: ‘Washington takes pure, delicious revelry successful the spoken word.’

And it’s nary astonishment that the Equalizer histrion has gone all-in arsenic helium approaches the extremity of his superb career.

‘For me, it’s astir the filmmakers. Especially astatine this constituent successful my career, I americium lone funny successful moving with the best.

‘I don’t cognize however galore much films I’m going to make. It’s astir apt not that many. I privation to bash things I haven’t done,’ helium said during the Gladiator II property tour, per Variety.

As of close present helium has lone a fistful much projects lined up including 1 with Sir Steve McQueen, an adaptation of Othello and a relation successful Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther 3.

Gladiator II is successful UK cinemas now. It’s released successful the US connected Friday, November 22.

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