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.

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.

Director Ridley Scott added that it's "bullshit" a prolonged kiss was even filmed, as Washington later clarified it was just a "peck" and the discord is "really much ado about nothing."