Sir Ridley Scott has claimed Denzel Washington's same-sex 'Gladiator II' kiss "didn't happen".
Washington - who plays Rome powerbroker Macrinus in the movie - recently told how he kissed a man on the lips in 'Gladiator II', but said it was cut from the movie because he thinks the film's bosses "got chicken" about including it in the finished motion picture.
However, director Scott has now insisted the moment was only "acted out".
Speaking at the Hollywood premiere of 'Gladiator II', he told Voariety: "N, that’s bull. It was a senator.
"They never did. They acted the moment - it didn’t happen."
When asked to clarify if it "never happened", he replied: "No. It didn't happen because they acted the moment."
Washington has now said it was a "peck" on the lips, and insisted it is a "much ado about nothing".
He added: "They’re making more of it than it was. I kissed him on his hands, I gave him a peck and I killed him."
Earlier this month, Washington spoke about the "kiss of death" scene.
He told Gayety: "I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken.
"I kissed a guy full on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet.
"I killed him about five minutes later. It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death."
The actor recently teased fans they can expect 'Gladiator II' - which also stars Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal - to be "ridiculously big" and "epic".
He told the publication: "[It's] huge! Ridiculously big!"
When asked whether his co-stars Mescal and Pascal are "good" in the film, the actor replied: "Not good. Great. Both of them. It’s a hard act to follow, and Paul pulled it off. He’s his own gladiator.
"I didn’t have to do anything but this [sips water with his little finger up]. That was my job. Just twirl the glass, twirl the goblet, and hold whatever I had in my other hand.
"And make sure I don’t step on my gown."
