In the words of Hollywood icon Denzel Washington himself, he's putting his dress on, those rings, and he's goin' crazy in Paramount Pictures' newest blockbuster, Gladiator II.
The two-time Oscar winner, who is very much expected to be leading the Best Supporting Actor pack this upcoming awards season, currently stars in Ridley Scott's long-awaited Gladiator sequel. And while Paul Mescal is a worthy successor to lead the star-studded cast, it's Washington who steals the show as the duplicitous (and bisexual) businessman Macrinus.
(L-R) Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington in 'Gladiator II.'Paramount Pictures
Out got the chance to speak to Washington about stepping into the immersive world of Gladiator and live out the ancient Roman fantasy to play a deliciously evil villain who some viewers might relate to, and maybe even root for.
"It was fun," Washington said. "Everything we saw looked like what it would be. You always felt like you were in the streets of Rome. That made the make-believe of it all, the imaginary part of it all easier to do."
"Day after day you start getting used to it," Washington continued. "You're comfortable with it, and everyone's walking around, but then a truck would pull through and take you out of it. But it was fun."
On playing Macrinus, Washington says simply, "He was willing to do whatever it took — man, woman, child, or animal — to get what he wanted."
Watch Out's full interview with Denzel Washington in the video above. Gladiator II is now playing in theaters.
