Connie Nielsen is one of the few original Gladiator stars whom the fans will see on the big screen as part of the Gladiator 2 cast. While both movies are directed by Ridley Scott, a majority of the actors from the first movie will not appear in this movie. Luckily, Nielsen is not one of them.
Considering Scott remains the mastermind behind the new movie and he consciously chose to not have the actors from the original film, all one can do is put their faith in his vision. That said, recently, Nielsen opened up about whether or not she felt sentimental or nostalgic when she arrived on the set for the second movie, and her answer might break some hearts.
Connie Nielsen on How She Felt About Making Gladiator 2
Danish actress Connie Nielsen made her feature film debut back in 1984 in a French film. Her English-language film debut came in 1997 with a role in The Devil’s Advocate, in which she starred opposite Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino. This role also marked her breakthrough in Hollywood and earned her several other roles over the next few years.
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One of her most notable performances is in 2000’s Gladiator. She plays the role of Lucilla, who is the widowed daughter of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), the older sister of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), and the former lover of Maximus Decimus (Russell Crowe). She tries to avoid Commodus’ incestuous advances while also protecting her son, Lucius from him.
In Gladiator II, Nielsen has reprised her role of Lucilla. During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, when asked if she anticipated feeling nostalgic or sentimental, she replied:
I sure did. Even walking onto the set myself, I felt as if I was expecting to see Russell and Joaquin there. For sure, it was like that.
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This also serves as a reality check for the fans of the original movie who loved Crowe and Phoenix’s performances and will not get to see them alongside Nielsen in this new movie. Even so, with actors like Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, and Joe Quinn in lead roles, the sequel is bound to warrant great reviews.
Connie Nielsen Clapped Back at Critics’ Opinions Regarding the Historical Inaccuracy of Gladiator II
In a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Dr. Shadi Bartsch, a classics History professor at the University of Chicago, claimed that certain elements shown in the movie are not historically true and labeled them “total Hollywood bullsh*t”. This included the presence of sharks in the Colosseum, the existence of newspapers and cafes, and also the absence of evidence of the fact that gladiators could ride rhinoceroses.
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In a conversation with Digital Spy, Nielsen defended the film, stating that such opinions were “dumb”. She explained:
I mean, can I just say: do you care whether there really were sharks in that water or not? Like, what are you talking about? That’s so silly. Like, why? Why would you want to take yourself out of a story because of sharks? That is a detail that even if it happened, the historians probably wouldn’t have been spending any time on it.
Fred Hechinger, who plays Emperor Caracalla in the movie, also pushed back at the claims of historical inaccuracy. He insisted that Scott was interested in making the movie as contemporary as possible because he wanted to present history as a part of the present, so the messing up the timelines was not in question.
Gladiator II will be in theatres from November 22, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Does Connie Nielsen return in Gladiator II?
Yes. Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, the character she originated in Ridley Scott’s 2000 film Gladiator. She is one of the few original cast members to return for the sequel. In a CinemaBlend interview she said she felt nostalgic on set, admitting she half-expected to see her former co-stars Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix there.
Which original Gladiator stars are missing from the sequel?
Russell Crowe (Maximus) and Joaquin Phoenix (Commodus), who anchored the first film, are not part of the returning Gladiator II cast. Director Ridley Scott built the sequel around a largely new lineup, which Nielsen said served as a bittersweet reality check for fans of the original.
Who stars in Gladiator II and when was it released?
Gladiator II is directed by Ridley Scott and led by Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and Joseph Quinn, alongside returning star Connie Nielsen as Lucilla. The film was released in theaters on November 22, 2024.
