Gladiator II has a star-studded cast with the likes of Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen, and Pedro Pascal barely making up a fraction of the talent the film is offering. So, when the movie’s own Denzel Washington is singing the praise of one cast member in particular that he believes to be the standout, we should listen, right? Well, said performance came from none other than Sherry, the monkey who played Dundas in the Gladiator II sequel, and her costar Fred Hechinger will not rest until she gets her flowers in show business.
I recently spoke with the cast ahead of the 2024 movie release, and when the subject of Dundas came up, Hechinger told me about his extensive “monkey training” that allowed him to portray eccentric leader Caracalla:
Well, the character's Dundas, but she's played by the monkey actress Sherry, who is, I believe, a real star. And I think anyone who sees the movie is going to feel the same way… So I arrived a few weeks early and started training with her so that we could be comfortable with one another. And by the time we stepped on set, we sort of operated as a unit together. Paul was doing his gladiator training, and I was doing monkey training.
Fred Hechinger
Dundas is Caracalla’s pet and best friend who is frequently seen jumping around on his shoulders in Gladiator II. This is not a surprising trait for a character that has been compared to Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus, but Hechinger has made it clear that he didn’t want to soil Phoenix’s performance with an imitation. Instead, he and his brother Geta (played by Joseph Quinn) opted for doing their own thing, and although it doesn’t involve blockbuster heroism like riding a rhinoceros, they found a path that is delightfully bonkers.
It’s not just Fred Hechinger who developed a relationship with Sherry, as the monkey can also be seen crawling around on Denzel Washington’s back and shoulders in the film. When I asked Washington which performance stood out to him as being particularly impressive, he praised Sherry, while also implying that she was smart enough to pick up on Caracalla’s psychopathy and tried to leave with Washington instead:
The monkey... Dundas. he tried to stick with me. I think he could could figure it out. He's like, ‘Man, I gotta get out of here.’ I think he can smell it.
Denzel Washington
That’s high praise from Denzel, who is already receiving Oscar buzz for his performance in the film. Our own Sarah El-Mahmoud also confirmed that his performance is worth the price of admission in her official Gladiator II review. He’s obviously a worthy addition to the legacy of the now-franchise, as is Sherry the monkey, and although it took a considerable amount of time for the sequel to come our way, the talent involved alone makes it worth the wait.
You can see Gladiator II in theaters on November 22! Denzel Washington, Fred Hechinger, and Sherry the monkey will all be in attendance. Critics are giving Gladiator II their stamp of approval, so it’s time to see what all of the fuss is about.
