November 16th 2024.
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Denzel Washington’s recent performance in the blockbuster sequel Gladiator 2 has sparked a lot of buzz among fans, particularly regarding his accent. The veteran actor, who won an Oscar at 69, has returned to the big screen alongside Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Connie Nielsen in Sir Ridley Scott’s highly-anticipated follow-up to his 2000 epic. In the film, Washington plays the role of Macrinus, a former slave from North Africa who is a ruthless mentor to Lucius and plots to gain control of Rome.
But when the Gladiator 2 trailer was released earlier this year, fans couldn't stop talking about Washington's accent, or lack thereof. While most of the cast adopted accents from various regions, Washington maintained his usual American accent. In an interview with Empire, he explained his reasoning behind this choice, saying, "Where are we? Whose accent would it be? What does that sound like anyway?" He also expressed concern about potentially doing a bad imitation of an African or British accent.
Despite some initial criticism from fans, many respected Washington's decision to stick with his own accent. Twitter user @Johnflex87 wrote, "He's too Denzel Washington to do any other accent other than his own." Another user, @ForceOriginal, added, "Gladiators didn't have no damn British accent so I'm glad Denzel not doing one for this movie."
However, there were also some who felt that Washington's accent took them out of the setting of the film. Twitter user Ankita wrote, "Great sets, good performances, decent cast - sure Gladiator 2's got all of that. But the script is meh. Another grand movie with a weak story. Paul Mescal is a dreamboat yes. Denzel Washington's very New York accent was constantly snapping me out of it though. Much didn't work."
While Washington's accent may have been a hot topic, it wasn't the only one. Fans were also amazed at how youthful the 69-year-old actor looked in the trailer, sparking rumors that he had been de-aged. In response, Twitter user @Rihanatsona wrote, "I don't know how I'm supposed to act. A 60+ man is the oldest and hottest man in this movie." Another user, Reddit user CalendarAggressive11, wrote, "That man ages like the finest wine."
But despite all the attention and praise, Washington revealed in an interview with Empire that there are only a few roles that interest him these days. He explained, "I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley [Scott]. We had a great go-round the first go-round, and here we are. He's engaged. He's excited about life and his next film. He's an inspiration. We should all want to feel like that at 86."
In another interview with Gayety, Washington shared an interesting tidbit about his experience on set. He revealed that he had filmed a scene where he kissed another male actor, but it was ultimately cut from the film. "I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken," he said. "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."
Fans can catch Washington's captivating performance in Gladiator 2, which is now playing in theaters. And if you have a celebrity story or news tip, feel free to reach out to the entertainment team at The Agency.
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