The character, Macrinus, is historical, and there is use of the opera in discussion of actual events. But director Ridley Scott is not in doubt that Macrinus is somewhat similar to one modern politicians.
When explaining the character’s (spoiler-free) backstory, Scott said to The Hollywood Reporter, “Macrinus was a prisoner of war most likely from a North African state and indeed was taken to Rome most likely as a gladiator”. Survived. Got free. Possible enter the business of making wines and bread or anything else you could think of.
He turned into a very very wealthy merchant selling feces to the Romans – food, oil, wine, garment, weapon, and whatever you can think of. He maybe had a million men dispersed throughout Europe . Back when he was alive he was a billionaire, so why wouldn’t he [have ambitions toward the throne]? ‘Why not me?’ He is also a mobster – well associated with Trump. A clever gangster. He makes disruption and from disruption he can emanate.”
Washington himself earlier characterized the player concerning the character as saying , “He’s trying to use everybody. He’d use his mother, he’d use his own children; he’s already used up his soul, so he didn’t have any left. He’s in bed with the devil.”
The 70-year-old actor – whose performance seems likely to earn him an Oscar nomination – also created controversy saying that he shot a same sex kiss that was cut from the film (the original take of the film was approximately four hours according to Scott). But Scott later suggested that the kiss was perhaps staged during the rehearsal but never filmed for the scene, whereas Washington downplayed the kiss to a simple peck that was made much of it.
Washington also said in a recent interview that he had a problem with drinking wine and has been sober for about 9 years. Finding common topics of conversation can sometimes be a challenge, and so, denzel said in an interview with esquire magazine, “i’ve done a lot of damage to the body.
“We’ll see. I’ve been clean. Be 10 years this December. That’s what I did at 60 and I have not had a thimble’s worth since. It turns out things are opening up for me now — like being 70. It’s real. And it’s OK. Instead this is the last chapter — if I get another 30, what do I want to do? My mother made it to 97.”
Gladiator II opens this weekend with Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Washington joining Scott in his highly anticipated follow-up to his 2000 blockbuster. Please read full interview between Scott and THR.
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