"Bad guys have all the fun until the end": Denzel Washington on his role in 'Gladiator II'

"Bad guys have all the fun," says Denzel Washington, who takes on the role of an antagonist in Ridley Scott’s 'Gladiator II'. He shared that he made a conscious decision not to watch the first 'Gladiator', starring Russell Crowe, as he wanted to avoid any connection to it in his portrayal.

The veteran Hollywood star plays Macrinus, a former slave who has risen to become a wealthy and cunning arms dealer, in the sequel to the 2000 blockbuster 'Gladiator'.

"I didn't go back to watch the first film. I didn't want to be connected to that. I watched the first film years ago. So I didn't want to look at it," Washington told PTI in a virtual interview from London.

In 'Gladiator II', Ridley Scott revisits the epic gladiatorial battles that made the original 'Gladiator' a classic. The 2000 film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe.

Washington, 69, had previously collaborated with Ridley Scott on the director's 2007 film 'American Gangster', which also starred Russell Crowe.

"Ridley Scott first, last and always," Washington said.

"He called and I said yes. He's one of my favourite if not my favourite directors that I work with… he and his brother (Tony Scott). But when he called, I said yes. It's as simple as that," the actor said.

When asked if he had fun playing a bad guy again after his Oscar-winning role in 'Training Day' (2001), where he portrayed a corrupt narcotics officer, Denzel Washington replied, "Absolutely. You know, bad guys have all the fun, until the end."

'Gladiator II' boasts an ensemble cast, including Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, as well as Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi, who reprise their roles from the first film.

While 'Gladiator' focused on Maximus (Russell Crowe), the sequel takes place many years later and centers around Lucius, the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), played by Paul Mescal.

Exiled at a young age, Lucius' home is invaded by the Roman Empire, and he becomes a gladiator at the Colosseum, driven by the desire to avenge his family's death. Washington’s character, Macrinus, is a gladiator "owner" who sees Lucius as a crucial part of his scheme to overthrow Rome's young emperor — the twin brothers Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn).

Washington, who won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as an American Civil War soldier in the war drama 'Glory;, mentioned that he didn't discuss his character much with Ridley Scott before working on 'Gladiator II'.

"He (Scott) leaves me alone and I kind of do my own thing. This film was so huge. He's got 10-15 million things going on at the same time. So, he kind of left me alone to my own devices and that was that," Washington said.

He was a frequent collaborator of the late Tony Scott on films such as "Crimson Tide", "Man on Fire", "The Taking of Pelham 123" and "Unstoppable".

Washington had fulsome words of praise for Mescal, who took a huge leap in his career with "Gladiator II" after his breakout role in the series "Normal People" and the Oscar-nominated role in the independent movie "Aftersun".

"He (Mescal), Fred, those guys are the future. That's a tough pair of shoes or sandals to put on. And, obviously Russell did a brilliant job years ago. And this young boy, really, he pulls it off. So I'm happy for him and proud of him," Washington said.

Washington, one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, has delivered noteworthy performances in movies such as "Cry Freedom", "Philadelphia", "Remember the Titans" and "The Tragedy of Macbeth" as well as the three "Equalizer" movies.

He said, however, that he wouldn't describe himself as a "big movie person" at this point in his life.

Washington also remembers fondly his time working on Mira Nair’s 1991 romance drama movie "Mississippi Masala".

"We had a great time together... that was a while ago. I don't remember everything, but we had a great time together," he said about the movie, which explored the interracial romance between an Indian American girl, played by Sarita Choudhury, and an African American man.

Asked what his criteria is for choosing a project at this stage in life, Washington said, "Filmmaker and script. (I) had some really interesting conversations with some great filmmakers. (I) can't talk about it right now, but there's some good opportunities for me in the next couple of years." "Gladiator II" will be released in India by Paramount Pictures India on November 15 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu in 4DX and IMAX.

(With Inputs: PTI)