Denzel Washington says his “Kiss of Death” scene was scrapped from “Gladiator II,” and he has an idea why.
With the highly anticipated film nearing release, Washington is spilling some tea about his Roman empire drama flick and things that went on during filming, which didn’t make the final cut. In an interview with Gayety, the Oscar-winner revealed one of the scenes that didn’t make it past the editing room was a smooch between him and another male actor.
“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. I guess they weren’t ready for that yet.”
Washington, who plays Macrinus in “Gladiator II,” later joked, “I killed him about five minutes later. It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death.”
Washington’s isn’t the only on-screen kiss that ended up on the cutting room floor. His costar Paul Mescal, who stars as Lucius, previously disclosed to Entertainment Weekly that he improvised a touching moment with Pedro Pascal during a battle rehearsal.
“There was a moment when we were rehearsing my fight scene with Pedro, and I had an idea towards the end of the scene to kiss Pedro on the forehead,” Mescal recalled. “I did it in one of the takes, and then we’re getting the radio messages back to Ridley [in video village], and I was like, ‘Ridley: Kiss on the forehead, did you like it? Yay or nay?'”
Washington’s Macrinus, a powerful gladiator wrangler, takes Lucius under his wing as the young gladiator seeks revenge in the Rome-based sequel that picks up two decades after the events of the original film.
Washington also told Entertainment Weekly that he enjoyed every moment of portraying Macrinus in this action-packed film.
“All he had to do is sit there and know that he’s the best in the world at everything, and he thinks that, and that’s fun. He really didn’t have to do any heavy lifting. The boys are down there fighting, being chased by rhinos. I’m just sitting up in this tent, twirling my goblet. That’s fun.”
“Gladiator II” will hit theaters on November 22nd, 2024.
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