Denzel Washington being sexy isn’t a surprise, nor a revelation.
Just look at the man. He’s aged like the finest of fine wines over the years, dazzling audiences with his great performances and undeniable good looks. He’s made crooked cops (Training Day), bodyguards (Man on Fire), gangsters (American Gangster), boxers (The Hurricane), lawyers (Philadelphia), and submarine officers (Crimson Tide) all incredibly enticing through his furious charisma. But in Gladiator II, he delivers a kind of performance we rarely see from one of America’s finest actors: He leans into camp, shedding his very serious persona for something singular and exciting.
He’s so hot in Gladiator II that there should be laws against this kind of thing.
What is common about a Denzel Washington performance is that his characters often don’t look like they’re having a whole lot of fun. That’s not a knock, but the reality of these serious, hardened characters. You wouldn’t look like you were having fun if you were in The Equalizer either! That movie is too intense to crack a smile. But what’s especially sexy and exhilarating about Denzel’s performance in Gladiator II is how much fun he seems to be having.
In Ridley Scott’s latest epic, Washington plays Macrinus, a conniving slave trader with his eyes on the greatest prize of all: Emperor of Rome. While the first Gladiator movie was a good deal more serious, Gladiator II adds campy outrageousness into the mix (including sharks in the gladiator arena!), a lot of which is introduced through Washington’s glorious performance. He’s very evil, and he’s far and away the most exciting part of the film. Being bad has rarely looked so good.
It starts with Marcinus’ glorious appearance. He has short, white hair—Denzel is proudly in his silver fox era, and it is dazzling—and sports plenty of glam jewelry including two small yet noticeable gold hoop earrings, dramatic gold bracelets that cover his wrists and forearms, and gold rings on every other finger. It’s giving rich and powerful; a man who ensures you’ll never worry about silly things like money ever again.
And then there are the robes. Some people’s clothes wear them, but not Marcinus. His spectacular collection of robes—which include powerful reds, royal blues, and rich golds—are runway-ready. They read as elegant and ambitious: They’re fit for an emperor, and that’s precisely what Marcinus is ruthlessly scheming to become. But they’re not just a symbol of ambition; they’re essential to the brilliance of Washington’s performance. He uses the robes like they’re an extension of his body, almost like a pair of wings. He dramatically drapes them around him in times of great tension, and with a flick of the wrist, he can move them to his will, punctuating his delicious line readings.
Now you may be wondering, with this passion for the finer things in life and high-glam robes: Is Marcinus…you know? I’m thrilled to say that yes, Marcinus is bisexual. He proudly boasts that women aren’t always to his taste with a devilishly sly grin and a cackle that could charm the chilliest of heterosexual men.
Sadly, we never get the chance to see Macrinus’ romantic prospects—in fairness, the man has one goal, and it is power, not sex. Apparently, this bisexuality could have been made a great deal more explicit, as Washington claimed he had a big kiss cut from the film—and days later rolled back his claim of kissing “a guy full on the lips,” saying it was a mere “peck” instead. We will never know how much we’ve truly lost, but I’d estimate losing out on a passionate and gay Denzel Washington kiss is on par with losing the Library of Alexandria.
There’s a genuine thrill that comes with seeing Washington let loose like this. That’s not to say that Washington has never had a good time on screen, but he feels especially comfortable in Ridley Scott’s capable hands. You can really feel him lean into every terrific line reading, and he maintains a palpable energy that only gets more enticing as his ambitions get closer and closer to coming to fruition. There’s a wonderful mystery wrapped within his robes—you never know who he’ll screw over, what he’ll say, or how he’ll scheme his way to the top. The only thing that’s certain? You want to be there every step of the way.
