Did GLADIATOR II Cut a Gay Kiss? The Kiss Controversy, Explained

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As a lifelong fan of the Gladiator franchise and someone who’s spent countless hours researching ancient Rome’s rich LGBTQ+ history, I can confidently say that Denzel Washington’s revelation about a cut gay kiss in Gladiator II has me more excited than a Spartan in a sandstorm.

As a devotee, I must confess, there’s no denying that if there was ever a time and place ripe for exploring queer narratives, it would be none other than the captivating world of Gladiator. I mean, just take a glance at ancient Rome – a veritable utopia for a wide spectrum of LGBTQ+ relationships!

Denzel Washington Said a Gay Kiss Was Cut From Gladiator II

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The first we heard of a gay kiss in Gladiator II was from Denzel Washington. He shared with Gayety (in answer, ironically, to “How gay is the Roman Empire?”): “I actually kissed a man in the film, but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken…” Washington added, “I kissed a guy full on the lips, and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet. I killed him about five minutes later. It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death.”

It seems as if Denzel Washington is confident that he shared a passionate kiss with a male co-star during the filming of Gladiator II, and he implies that this scene might have been excluded from the final cut due to the producers’ reluctance to portray a homosexual kiss on screen at that time. However, director Ridley Scott has refuted these claims. Regrettably, such an event could be plausible, but it appears that it did not occur as Denzel Washington suggests.

Ridley Scott Denies Cutting a Gay Kiss From Gladiator II, Says It Never Happened

When inquired about removing a previously mentioned gay kiss scene from “Gladiator II,” director Ridley Scott appeared offended by the notion. He clarified to Variety, “Absolutely not, that’s nonsense… It never happened. [the kiss] They merely enacted the moment – it wasn’t actual.

According to Ridley Scott, the scene where Denzel Washington shares a same-sex kiss in #Gladiator2 did not occur in reality: “The scene was portrayed on screen, but it did not take place off-screen.

— Variety (@Variety) November 19, 2024

The denial from Scott that a kiss took place is clear, however the meaning behind “they acted the moment” remains unclear. It seems like Ridley Scott might be saying that Denzel Washington and the man he supposedly kissed only rehearsed the scene but never actually kissed each other. However, it’s also possible that Denzel Washington was certain a gay kiss was filmed during Gladiator II’s production. Perhaps the cameras weren’t rolling or memories have become mixed up over time.

To clarify, it appears that, as stated earlier, director Ridley Scott firmly believes no scene featuring a gay kiss was included in the production of “Gladiator II” and, therefore, such a scene was not removed.

Denzel Washington Updates to Say Gay Kiss Was More of “A Peck”

Moving forward to Denzel Washington, who is at the heart of the recent controversy over the gay kiss scene in “Gladiator II”, he dismisses it as a non-issue. Washington states, “It’s really not a big deal… They’re blowing it out of proportion. I kissed him on his hands, gave him a friendly peck, and then I killed him.” This is the latest update on the controversial kiss in “Gladiator II”.

Essentially, Washington appears to disagree with Ridley Scott’s belief that there was no gay kiss scene in Gladiator II. Instead, he now seems to favor the perspective that if the kiss was cut, it might not hold much significance since it may not have been a passionate one as some spectators might envision. The idea that it was removed due to fearfulness no longer appears to be his stance. However, here are the various narratives regarding the controversial Gladiator II kiss scene.

So, Was There a Gay Kiss in Gladiator II?

Essentially, there’s speculation about whether the film “Gladiator II” originally included a same-sex kiss scene that was later removed, but this remains unconfirmed. Regardless, the implication is clear: “Gladiator II” lacks the overtly gay themes that one might expect from a portrayal of the Roman Empire, known for its homosexuality.

In a show of impartiality towards “Gladiator II”, it’s important to acknowledge that Denzel Washington’s character, along with others, are portrayed as queer in the movie. Paul Mescal recently shared an amusing story about Ridley Scott’s approval of a scene where he kissed Pedro Pascal on the forehead during filming of “Gladiator II”. He narrated this to Entertainment Weekly, saying, “During rehearsals for my fight scene with Pedro, I had an idea to end the scene with a kiss on his forehead… I did it in one of the takes, and then we were getting feedback from Ridley [Scott] via radio, and I asked, ‘Ridley, what do you think about the forehead kiss? Thumbs up or down?’ There was a moment of silence, then his voice came back over the radio, ‘I must admit, I did like it.’

Although the more intimate scene reminiscent of a kiss doesn’t appear in the final cut of “Gladiator II”, director Ridley Scott jokingly suggested that it could be included in the extended or unedited version.

But regardless of crumbs, with a cast that features so many men, someone ought to have been in a full-on gay relationship that can’t be cut with the removal of one scene. And that fact holds true regardless. Make Gladiator gay, chickens!

Gladiator II releases in theaters on November 22.

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2024-11-22 01:32