Ridley Scott says Denzel Washington’s same-sex kiss in Gladiator II ‘didn’t happen’ | Gladiator II

The director of Gladiator II has denied claims by its star, Denzel Washington, that a same-sex kiss was cut from the final version of the film.

Last week Washington – who plays a bisexual slave trader in the film – said: “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 drunk on the lips , and they probably weren’t ready for that yet.”

At the Hollywood premiere of the film on Monday, Ridley Scott called the claim “bullshit”. He later added: “They never did. They acted in the moment – ​​it didn’t happen.”

His star also backtracked on his claim on the red carpet, calling the moment a “nick” on the lips. “It really is much ado about nothing,” Washington said. “They’re making more of it than it was. I kissed him on his hands, I gave him a peck, and I killed him.”

Scott’s original cut of the film was more than an hour longer than its current two hours and 28 minutes, and star Connie Nielsen, who plays the mother of Paul Mescal’s character, said some of her scenes were also transferred to the cutting room floor.

“My grief scene didn’t make it into the movie either,” Nielsen said. “It’s not homophobia. There was just no room for it.” Producer Michael Pruss added, “There was so much stuff that was shot that didn’t make it into the movie. It really was a non-event.”

Mescal told Attitude he believed the film would appeal to “the guys, the gays, the girls, the moms, the dads … The bros will love it too.”