The character, Macrinus, is based on an actual historical figure. But director Ridley Scott says that Macrinus is a bit like a certain modern-day politician.

When explaining the character’s (spoiler-free) backstory, Scott said, “[Macrinus] was a prisoner of war — probably at a North African state — and actually was taken to Rome probably as a gladiator. Survived. Got free. Got into the business of maybe making wine and bread. He evolved into a very rich merchant selling shit to the Roman armies — food, oil, wine, cloth, weapons, everything. He maybe had a million men spread around Europe. So he was a billionaire at the time, so why wouldn’t he [have ambitions towards the throne]? “Why not me?” He’s also a gangster — very close to Trump. A clever gangster. He creates chaos and from chaos he can evolve.”

Washington himself has said about the character, “He’s trying to use everybody. He’d use his mother, he’d use his own children; he’s already used up his soul, so he didn’t have any left. He’s in bed with the devil.”

The 70-year-old actor — whose scene-stealing performance is generating Oscar buzz — also made headlines by saying that he had a same-sex kiss that was removed from the film (the original cut of the film was nearly four hours long, Scott has said).

But Scott said that the kiss was acted out during a rehearsal but ultimately wasn’t shot for camera, while Washington later clarified it was more like “a peck” and the hubbub over the moment was “much ado about nothing.”

Gladiator II opens this weekend and stars Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal along with Washington in Scott’s long-awaited sequel to his Oscar-winning 2000 action epic.