May Calamawy Played The Daughter Of Denzel Washington's Macrinus - Theory On Her Cut Gladiator 2 Role Explained (2024)

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Gladiator 2!

Gladiator 2 features a handful of new and intriguing characters, but evidence suggests May Calamawy was meant to play the daughter of Denzel Washington's Macrinus. The Moon Knight actress was initially announced as part of Gladiator 2's cast in a role that would've connected to Macrinus. However, by Gladiator 2's violent ending, Calamawy is nowhere to be seen, with her portion of the story cut from Ridley Scott's highly-anticipated sequel. Based on the movie's story direction and Macrinus' history, evidence propels several possible options for Calamawy's casting.

Cutting characters from major movies often comes down to time constraints. Scott's Gladiator 2 came in at just under two hours and 30 minutes, so several scenes likely had to be axed. Granted, it seems as though an entire subplot involving Calamawy had to be removed based on how the actress was thought to be playing a pivotal role when cast. It's possible that more will be explained regarding what happened to May Calamawy's Gladiator 2 character, but for now, we can only speculate and theorize.

Everything We Know About May Calamawy's Cut Gladiator 2 Character

It's Unknown Who May Calamawy Was Cast To Play In Ridley Scott's Sequel

Questions surrounding May Calamawy's absence in Gladiator 2 are certainly justifiable. The actress was officially included in cast announcements from May 2023, with claims that Calamawy was tapped to play a crucial role. Aside from brief background appearances, including a scene in Gladiator 2 where she can be seen sitting behind Denzel Washington's Macrinus, Calamawy's character was mostly removed from Ridley Scott's sequel. There's also no explanation for why her character didn't make the final cut.

Though May Calamawy's removal from Gladiator 2 has been tied to the actress' comments on the conflict between Palestine and Israel, it's very important to note that those claims have never been confirmed. What we do know is that Calamawy confirmed her character was cut from Gladiator 2 and that she worked closely with Washington. Even with her minor background appearances, Calamawy isn't credited in Gladiator 2 nor has any speaking lines. Still, we have some ideas for who Calamawy could've played.

Gladiator 2 Theory: May Calamawy Was Cast To Play Macrinus' Daughter

Calamawy's Gladiator 2 Character Was Close To Macrinus In Some Way

Denzel Washington's performance as Macrinus may have transformed the character into a captivating figure within Gladiator 2. However, Ridley Scott's Macrinus was loosely based on the real Marcus Opellius Macrinus, the emperor who took over after conspiring against Caracalla. Interestingly, Macrinus ruled alongside his son, Diadumenian, who died before the age of 10. Macrinus doesn't have a son in the movie, but it's possible that Scott intended for May Calamawy to play Macrinus' daughter in Gladiator 2.

If Macrinus' real-life son was so important to his reign, it would make sense for Gladiator 2 to give Macrinus a child that steers his motives in overtaking the current emperors. Gladiator 2 makes true story changes to Ancient Rome's history, but changing Diadumenian into an older daughter seems like a feasible theory. Aside from Lucilla, there haven't been many women featured in the movies with critical roles. Lucius' wife is introduced in the sequel, but her death also serves as a plot device that thrusts Lucius on a path for revenge.

Who knows, maybe instead of a co-conspirator to match Macrinus' history, a daughter in Gladiator 2 could have added another complicated aspect to Macrinus' plan if she became Lucius' love interest. Imagine Macrinus trying to carry out his dangerous plan while his daughter fell in love with a pawn in his game. Another love interest for Lucius could've also worked whether or not his wife, Arishat, appeared at the beginning of Gladiator 2. Without Arishat and her Gladiator 2 death, Lucius still had plenty of hatred for the Roman army. Perhaps Calamawy was meant to be another character's love interest.

May Calamawy's Gladiator 2 Appearance Also Suggests She May Have Been Macrinus' Love Interest

Macrinus Had Many Romantic Partners

While it would have been pretty amazing to see May Calamawy play a female gladiator (yes, they did exist in Ancient Rome!), that likely wasn't in the cards when the actress was cast. The biggest clue about Calamawy's mysterious role connects to Washington's Macrinus. Therefore, if not related, Calamawy's Gladiator 2 role had to be in close contact with Macrinus, meaning she might have been one of his lovers. Macrinus even states that he has several lovers, in addition to confirming his bisexuality.

It's reasonable to think that a romantic partner for Macrinus would be kept close enough to sit by him out in public when considering Calamawy's brief Gladiator 2 background appearances. We may eventually get more information regarding Calamawy's cut character and how she could've impacted Macrinus and Lucius' arcs in the sequel. Still, Scott has no plans for any kind of Gladiator 2 director's cut, so any chance of actually seeing Calamawy's character brought to life doesn't look good.

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Gladiator II

R

Director

Ridley Scott

Release Date

November 22, 2024

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Cast

Paul Mescal , Pedro Pascal , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Joseph Quinn , Fred Hechinger , Derek Jacobi , May Calamawy , Peter Mensah , Matt Lucas , Alexander Karim , Tim McInnerny , Lee Charles , Chidi Ajufo , Alfie Tempest , Riana Duce , Chi Lewis Parry , Paul Candelent , Hadrian Howard , Alexander Simkin , Mikhail Basmadjian , Matthew Charlery-Smith , Maxime Durand , Lior Raz

Runtime

148 minutes

prequel(s)

Gladiator