Gladiator 2’s lead actor Denzel Washington has responded to criticism regarding his accent, or lack thereof, in the initial trailer for the film.
Despite a nearly 25-year gap, director Ridley Scott has revisited the world of Gladiator with a sequel. The initial trailer for the film was released in July 2024, featuring a talented cast including Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Paul Mescal, and Denzel Washington.
The trailer’s use of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s ‘No Church in the Wild’ as its main music choice was not well-received by a large number of viewers.
Even though Ridley Scott has never been concerned with accent accuracy in his historical pieces, Denzel’s portrayal still managed to ruffle some feathers because he sounded just like Denzel.
During an interview with Empire magazine (via ScreenRant), the actor addressed the criticisms and pondered which accent would have been most suitable for the role.
Washington expressed to the publication, “The issue at hand was determining the location and identity of the character. What would their accent be? And how would it accurately sound? I didn’t want to risk imitating someone and ultimately producing a poorly executed African accent.”
Denzel Washington in Gladiator 2
Washington portrays the character of Macrinus in the Gladiator sequel, a historical Roman Emperor who was born in a Roman province situated in present-day Algeria.
This raises the issue of whether Washington should have portrayed his character with a North African or Roman accent. However, considering the uncertainty of how these accents would have sounded during ancient times, the experienced actor makes a valid point.
Additionally, it should be mentioned that Ridley Scott’s films have never placed emphasis on an actor’s accent in this manner. The majority of characters in the original Gladiator film speak with an English accent.
Despite Scott’s 2023 Napoleon film being set in France, the accents of the characters were inconsistent. While some spoke with a British accent instead of French, others, such as star Joaquin Phoenix, made no effort to adopt any specific accent.
When Gladiator 2 hits theaters on November 22, 2024, audiences will have the chance to determine if this approach affects their enjoyment of the film.
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