Denzel Washington says his gay kiss in ‘Gladiator II’ was cut, thinks filmmakers ‘got chicken’

“Gladiator II” is set to release next week, bringing audiences the glory and gore of the Roman Empire: swords will be unsheathed, heroes will rise —and in this blockbuster sequel — perhaps share a kiss?

Actor Denzel Washington told Gayety that he had a kiss in the movie, but it was ultimately cut from the final print.

“I actually kissed the man in the film, but they took it, they cut it, I think they got chicken,” Washington, who plays a Roman businessman in the film, said in a video interview. “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,” the Oscar-winner added with a laugh. “It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death.”

It appears that it wasn’t the only kiss that was cut from the Ridley Scott-directed film. 

Actor Paul Mescal told Entertainment Weekly about a moment with costar Pedro Pascal: “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.”

“I did it in one of the takes, and then we’re getting the radio messages back to Ridley and I was like, ‘Ridley: Kiss on the forehead, did you like it? Yay or nay?’ There was radio silence for a second. His radio crackles back and goes ‘I’m afraid I did,’” he added.

“Gladiator II” is a sequel to the 2000 historical epic featuring a cast that includes Mescal, Pascal and Washington. It opens in theaters Nov. 22.