Ridley Scott Says Denzel Washington Performed Same-Sex Kiss For ‘Gladiator II’

Ridley Scott sets the record for Denzel Washington’s same-sex kiss from Gladiator II.

When asked about the scene at the film’s Hollywood premiere, the director shared in an interview with Black that the scene was “acted out” but ultimately not filmed for the cameras.

“Denzel said he kissed a man on the lips, but it didn’t make the final cut,” an interviewer from the outlet told Scott, 86, who replied, “No, that’s bulls—.”

He went on to note that there was a moment between Washington’s character Macrinus and “a senator,” but clarified, “They never did that (kiss). They were acting in the moment — that didn’t happen.”

Never miss a story – sign up PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to keep you updated on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Washington, 69, was also asked about the scene at the premiere. He told Black that it was a “cock” rather than a “kiss” and that it’s all “really about nothing.”

“They’re making more of it than it was,” said the two-time Oscar winner. “I kissed him on his hands, I gave him a cut and killed him.”

Washington previously said he kissed a male costar in a since-deleted moment after being asked “how gay” the sequel to the 2000 blockbuster was.

“I actually kissed a man in the movie, but they took it out. They cut it,” the actor shared Gayty earlier this month. “I think they got chicken.”

“I kissed a guy drunk on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for it yet,” he added, before joking that in the sequence he “killed him about five minutes later” in what he called ” the kiss of death”. ”

PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How fast can you solve it? Play now!

It was reportedly not the only kissing scene that ended up on the cutting room floor. Paul Mescal, who also stars in the film, revealed in an interview with Weekly entertainment that he rehearsed a forehead kiss scene between him and Pedro Pascal, who also did not appear in the film.

“I did it in one of the takes, and then we get the radio messages back to Ridley (in the video village) and I was like, ‘Ridley: Kiss on the forehead, did you like it?’ Yay or nay? ‘ There was radio silence for a second,” Mescal said. “His radio crackles back and (Ridley) says, ‘I’m afraid I did it.’ ”

Gladiator IIwritten by David Scarpa (of Napoleonthe 2023 historical epic, also directed by Scott), also stars Joseph Quinn and cast May Calamawyand follows the story from the original film.

That film followed Maximus (Russell Crowe), a Roman general who is the victim of a coup by the evil emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who fights his way up the ranks as a gladiator so he can take revenge on Commodus for killing his family.

Gladiator II is in theaters on Friday, Nov. 22.