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.

Gladiator II ” director Ridley Scott is clearing the air about Denzel Washington’s claim that a same-sex kiss was cut from the new movie. “No, that’s bullshit,” Scott, 86, told Variety on the red carpet at the action film’s Los Angeles premiere on Monday.

Denzel Washington may have said that his same-sex kiss in “Gladiator II” was cut from the movie because the powers that be got “chicken,” but, according to director Ridley Scott, the kiss may not have happened at all.

Washington also rolled back on his earlier claim the scene was cut from the film, calling the kiss a ‘peck’

The director is responding to some controversial tea the actor spilled about filming the highly-anticipated sequel.

Thinking about the Roman Empire? Us too - thanks Denzel Washington! Paul Mescal stars as Lucius in the followup to 2000's Gladiator. He becomes a gladiator and competes in the Colosseum under the training of Macrinus (Washington).

Denzel Washington has clarified his initial remarks regarding his character kissing another man in new film Gladiator II, but the scene eventually being cut. Upon hearing of Washington saying he kissed a man “full on the lips” for the film,