Denzel Washington gets honest about 'Gladiator II' role

Denzel Washington is playing Macrinus in Gladiator II, who has an ambition to control Rome. But in the actor's words: "he is a nice fellow yet misunderstood."

Speaking at the special screening of the film, the Oscar winner explained his character's motives.

“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,” he said of the role who an arms dealer and an ex-Gladiator.

The 69-year-old continued, “When you would walk around, you were in Rome, and it seemed like 10,000 extras and horses. It was make-believe, it was play, it was fun; just put the gear on, put the dress on, and go, that’s the way I look at it. I’m putting this dress on, these rings and I’m going crazy.”

According to THR, the film's lead star Paul Mescal also weighed in on his character describing the physical and emotional transformation, joking that he had “this naive idea at the start where I was like, ‘I’m maybe gonna just play a gladiator that kind of looks normal.'” 

He added, “I always saw him like a dog, like somebody who would just scrap his way to survival” who, for most of the film, “doesn’t really care if he lives or dies.”

Gladiator II will open in theatres on Nov 22.