Mel Gibson Reveals the Role He Ultimately Turned Down in Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’
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Speaking at MegaCon Orlando, Gibson shared that Ridley Scott had approached him about starring in his historical epic, Gladiator, but Gibson was already committed to filming The Patriot, directed by Roland Emmerich. Because of that, he had no choice but to turn it down.
Mel Gibson revealed that he was originally in talks to play Maximus in the movie, but had to pass due to scheduling conflicts, as we’ve said. That role ultimately went to Russell Crowe, who not only took it on but also walked away with an Oscar for Best Actor.
‘You look back and think, “I wish I’d done that,”’ Gibson admitted. ‘Ridley came to me with Gladiator, and I didn’t do that either. But I was doing The Patriot, so I couldn’t do both. Russell got it, and he did a great job. It’s funny how things work out.’
Gibson would have been a logical pick for Scott. He was already well-known for starring in and directing Braveheart, which had a similar historical theme and was a massive hit at the Academy Awards. It’s possible Gibson’s take on Maximus would have been a bit grittier, while Crowe’s performance had more emotional depth.
Gladiator was a major success, earning $460.5 million worldwide on a $103 million budget. It also scored 12 Oscar nominations, winning five, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. It was the second highest-grossing film of 2000, right behind Mission: Impossible 2 starring Tom Cruise.
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