Gladiator II director Ridley Scott has hit out at claims made by Denzel Washington that a gay kiss was removed from the film. The Oscar-winning actor made the claims in an interview promoting the long-awaited sequel last week. “I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken,” he told Gayety.

Actress Connie Nielsen, who reunites with Ridley Scott as she reprises her role as Lucilla from the original Gladiator, agreed with the producer, revealing that her own grieving scene was left on the cutting room floor.

Gladiator II director Ridley Scott is shutting down claims that a same-sex kiss was cut from the new movie. Denzel Washington, who plays power-hungry former slave Macrinus in the film, recently said he kissed a man on the lips,