The 59-year-old actor said that when Scott and his team first told him about the idea of ​​a sequel, he promised that “Connie would be happy”.

“I knew it would be good. I loved the whole setup of the story. It’s an incredible setup. And for an actor, the way they wrote Lucilla and put her in situations that are unimaginable and crazy, and As well as being gorgeous, it was a great setup for her,” Nielsen told PTI in a virtual interview.

Nielsen has fond memories of his early years in Hollywood, where he debuted in the 1997 film “The Devil’s Advocate” starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves. Just two years later, he was cast in “Gladiator”.

“This was my first big film and I did everything I could. And I think this time I have reached a place as an actor and a human being where I can be so many layers at the same time. I feel very comfortable inside. I felt like I was probably able to act on more levels in this movie than I did in the first movie because I’m older and I know more,” she added.

In “Gladiator”, Lucilla was introduced as the daughter of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and sister of Commodus, who becomes King of Rome after committing patricide. He and Russell Crowe’s Maximus, a Roman general turned gladiator, are trying to overthrow Commodus.

And in the second part, set two decades later, it is revealed that Maximus was the father of Lucilla’s son Lucius, played by Paul Mescal. She sends Lucius away to protect him from palace intrigues but once again she is torn between her maternal instincts and her duty to Rome.

Nielsen said that this time she could have more confidence in herself for the role.

“Something really wonderful happens when you reach a certain age as a woman. You realize there’s a part of you that is whole and wonderful and you can trust that. And when I do that When I was there, I also felt the same about the character this time.”

The actor, also known for starring in films such as “Mission to Mars”, “Wonder Woman” and “Nobody”, used author Tom Holland’s 2003 book “Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Empire” to understand the empire. Cited “Republic”. as well as its administration, political conflict and the distinctive cultural life of the Romans.

“I don’t know, it just became a stumbling block within me. And then I really used the religious experience, the spiritual experience of Lucilla, as it would have been then, like her thoughts and how she dealt with the almost unimaginable pain and danger of her For life, spiritually and mentally,” she said.

When asked how Lucilla would resonate with modern audiences, given the changes in the portrayal of women on screen since she first played the role, Nielsen said that the character has always attracted both men and women.

“I’ve felt this because people from all over the world have contacted me over the last 25 years. You just feel that people feel very strongly about Lucilla’s experience. I also feel that they connect with the ideas of both films. Equal to political situations, we are dealing with this at the global level as well.

He said, “I think we deal with the issue of tyranny versus human freedom. And I think those are relevant and important questions.”

She further said that women in cinema have continued to thrive, highlighting how female characters were important in films in the 1920s and 1930s.

“It was really a step back for women in the ’60s. Ironically, during the time of feminism, women had lost some of their economic status within films. Films in the ’70s and ’80s suddenly became especially were directed at men. I think we’re working very hard to reclaim that ground,” he added.

“Gladiator II” also stars Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger and Derek Jacobi.

The film will be released in India by Paramount Pictures India on Friday in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu in 4DX and IMAX.

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