Denzel Washington has just revealed a deleted Gladiator II scene that could’ve turned the Roman Empire a little rainbow! Yes, that’s right—the man himself, Denzel, 69 years young, confessed to a full-on smooch with another guy on set. But then, Hollywood decided to give the scene the thumbs down.
In Gladiator II, Denzel shares the screen with Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, a trio that’s essentially the dream team of rugged cinematic intensity. So, you might be wondering how Denzel, the very definition of “legend,” found himself in such an unexpected lip-lock. Well, in a recent interview, he wasn’t afraid to spill some spicy details.
He dropped this bombshell while chatting with Gayety. When asked, “So just how gay was the Roman Empire?” Denzel leaned in and gave a response worthy of its own Oscar: “I actually kissed a man in the film. Full on the lips! I guess they just weren’t ready for that yet.” Somewhere in Hollywood, a producer probably just choked on their coffee.
Denzel joked that the studio was “chicken” about letting the kiss fly. Maybe the Romans could handle lions, epic battles, and a solid amount of poetic betrayal, but a kiss? That’s apparently where they drew the line.
And what happened after that tender moment? Denzel, always a man of action, killed the guy. Yep, five minutes after locking lips, he decided to send his scene partner straight to the afterlife. Talk about mixed signals!
Catch Gladiator II in theaters on November 22—minus one epic, history-making smooch.
