Denzel Washington's Approach toGladiator IIWas to 'Put the Clothes on and Start Talking': 'It Was Make-Believe'

Mar. 15, 2025

Denzel Washington plays Macrinus in Gladiator II.Photo:Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

ForDenzel Washington, stepping into the shoes of his latest character was easy.

Of course, considering he plays the gladiator trader and arms dealer Macrinus inRidley Scott’sGladiator II(in theaters Nov. 22), it’s more accurate to say he stepped into the character’s sandals. “All we had to do was put the clothes on and start talking,” Washington said at a Los Angeles screening of the sequel on Friday, Oct. 18.

“I’m serious,” added the Oscar-winning actor and director, 69. “What Ridley did, which was great, is he built Rome… When we would walk around, you were in Rome [with] 10,000 extras and horses. I mean, it was make-believe, it was play.”

That level of authenticity, he continued, made filmingGladiator II“fun. Just put the gear on, put the dress on and go. That’s the way I looked at it.”

Denzel Washington in ‘Gladiator II’.Cuba Scott/Paramount Pictures

Cuba Scott/Paramount Pictures

Washington’s Macrinus, an enslaved person-turned-slave owner, plays a ruthless character who is “misunderstood,” quipped theTraining Daystar at the screening. “He’s a product of his environment.”

The scheming character, he continued, is “trying to use everybody. He used his mother, he used his own children. He’d already used up his soul, so he didn’t have any left. But he’s in bed with the devil.”

Asked what initially intrigued him about the role, Washington — who last worked with Scott in 2007’sAmerican Gangster— responded simply, “It’s Ridley, it’sGladiator. It’s ‘yes.’”

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Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Paul Mescal and Fred Hechinger.Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

Nielsen, 59, reflected on how starring in the 2000 original film compared to the sequel. “This time around, what would’ve taken three hours to set up 25 years ago, now it takes 20 minutes,” the Danish actress recalled. “And that is despite the fact that you’re talking 3000 extras, you’re talking enormous vehicles, you’re talking insane setups. We could not believe how fast we were moving.”

The 86-year-old director “loves technology,” added Nielsen. “There were things that I know that he wanted to do in [Gladiator] that he simply did not have the technology for yet.”

Paul Mescal in ‘Gladiator II’.Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

Of working with the legendaryAliendirector, Mescal, 28,recalled “absolutely sh——” himselfduring an early day on set opposite costarPedro Pascal.

When Scott asked if he was nervous, he said. “I didn’t know what the appropriate answer was. So I was like, ‘Ah’… He’s like, ‘Your nerves are no f—— good to me.'”

Gladiator IIis in theaters Nov. 22.

source: people.com