Connie Nielsen joined “CBS Mornings” to discuss returning to the world of “Gladiator” to reprise the beloved role of the character Lucilla, 24 years after the original film.

“I was nervous,” she said. “People feel really, really, really protective, I think, about the first one. A lot of people tell me on the street, ‘Don’t do number two, because number one is so perfect.'”

Nielsen explained that his decision to return depended on the quality of the “Gladiator II” scenario.

“We obviously wanted to make sure the storyline was going to be amazing,” she said.

Her agents reassured her after speaking with producers.

“They said, ‘Just tell her she’s going to be happy.'”

Reflecting on her character’s evolution, Nielsen expressed gratitude for the opportunity to portray a more mature Lucilla.

“I played this when I was a young woman, and it’s amazing to have the opportunity to show or relive the story of what happened to her for almost half of her life,” a- she declared. “To be able to tell this story and show what this mature Lucilla looks like – who has she become?”

Nielsen praised the director Ridley Scott for its collaborative approach.

“Ridley is waiting for you, he’s counting on you, he’s choosing you because he wants you to be part of the story,” she said. “It makes you feel like there’s a lot of space for your creativity.”

She also reflected on the on-screen tension during her character Lucilla’s first meeting with her long-lost son Lucius, played by Paul Mescal.

“We didn’t really talk until we filmed that scene,” Nielsen said. “I come from the perspective of a mother who made the ultimate sacrifice to save her son’s life… For him, the narrative is: ‘How could you abandon me?'”

“Gladiator II” is distributed by Paramount Pictures, part of CBS parent company Paramount Global. “Gladiator II” hits theaters on Friday, November 22.

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