Summary

• Gladiator's ensemble cast delivered career-defining performances, earning critical acclaim and multiple Oscar nominations.
• The film showcased veteran actors displaying mastery in bringing Ancient Rome to life on the big screen.
• Despite its success, Gladiator faced tragedy when actor Oliver Reed ed away during production, requiring digital editing.

The Gladiator cast features a large ensemble that brings the story of General Maximus Decimus Meridius, Emperor Commodus, and Ancient Rome to life. The 2000 epic historical film, directed by Ridley Scott, was highly successful following its release — it grossed over $503 million worldwide while winning five Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe). Twenty-three years after its premiere, Gladiator is still considered one of the best epic historical dramas ever made.

Although the Gladiator cast didn't involve breakout roles, the critically acclaimed film provided standout roles and career-defining performances. Crowe won an Oscar for playing General Maximus Decimus Meridius. Joaquin Phoenix was also recognized for his talents as Emperor Commodus in the movie and was nominated for Best ing Actor at the 2001 Academy Awards. The actors weren't all that young, but they proved to be masters of their craft in this epic, award-winning classic.

11 Russell Crowe

35 Years Old In Gladiator

Russell Crowe played former Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator, and he turned 35 years old when the cast and crew filmed the project in the first half of 1999. They started production in January, and principal photography concluded in May, so since Crowe's birthday is April 7, 1964, the actor celebrated his 35th birthday on set. In the film, Maximus was forced to enter slavery after Commodus murdered his father and took over ruling Rome.

As a result, he became a gladiator (hence the movie's name) to rise through the ranks and seek revenge. Gladiator was Crowe's second of three straight Oscar nominations, as he was also nominated for The Insider in 2000 and A Beautiful Mind in 2002. Gladiator was his only win. Crowe continues to act full-time to this day, mixing in big roles (Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder) with smaller movies like Poker Face, which he also directed in 2022.

10 Joaquin Phoenix

24 Years Old In Gladiator

Joaquin Phoenix played the devious Emperor Commodus, who murdered his father in Gladiator. Phoenix was 24 years old during production. Phoenix had previously starred in SpaceCamp, Parenthood, and To Die For before earning the villainous role in Ridley Scott's masterpiece. He was a child star when he was younger, and faced family tragedy when he was only 19 and watched his older brother River Phoenix die outside The Viper Room in Los Angeles. Since then, Joaquin has become a massive star in his own right.

His role in the Gladiator cast earned him mass recognition and led to other opportunities, such as starring roles in Signs and The Village. Phoenix later earned an Oscar win for playing the titular character in Joker​​​​. He also earned a Best ing Actor nomination for Gladiator and two more Best Actor nominations for his roles as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line and in the P.T. Anderson movie The Master alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman.

9 Tomas Arana

44 Years Old In Gladiator

Tomas Arana starred as Quintus in Gladiator, and he turned 44 years old while filming the epic film, seeing as his birthday is on April 3. Quintus was a Roman legatus and commander of the Praetorian Guard who aligned with Commodus and betrayed Maximus. The character is loosely based on a real person named Quintus Aemilius Laetus. The real-life person was part of the assassination conspiracy against Emperor Commodus.

Before starring in Gladiator, Arana had been acting in movies since 1978. Over his career, he has appeared in movies such as The Hunt for Red October, The Bodyguard, and L.A. Confidential. That latter movie was alongside star Russell Crowe. Since Gladiator, he has had some high-profile roles in movies like Pearl Harbor, The Bourne Supremacy, The Dark Knight Rises, and Guardians of the Galaxy.

8 Connie Nielsen

33 Years Old In Gladiator

Connie Nielsen, one of the few actresses in Gladiator, played Lucilla in the movie. She was 33 years old during production. Lucilla was Maximus's former lover and Commodus's sister, and she resisted her brother's rule during the film. She is another character based on a real person, as Lucilla is Commodus's older sister. Her life ended when her brother ordered her execution after a failed assassination and coup attempt. Lucilla was only 33 when she died in real life.

Connie Nielsen has been acting professionally since 1984. Before ing the Gladiator cast, she appeared in movies like The Devil's Advocate and Rushmore. She went on to earn an Empire Award nomination for Best Actress in a Blockbuster. Nielsen later played another strong female figure when she appeared as Hippolyta in Wonder Woman and Justice League. She has a role in the Gladiator II, as her character in the movie didn't suffer the same fate as Lucille in real life.

7 Oliver Reed

61 Years Old In Gladiator

Oliver Reed sadly died before production finished on Gladiator. He was 61 years old at the time of his death. Reed suffered a heart attack during a break from filming Gladiator (via The Guardian). He played Antonius Proximo, Maximus and Juba's gladiator trainer and a significant figure in the movie. After Reed died, a post-production company had to digitally generate a body double for the Gladiator scenes that he didn't get to film.

Before ing the Gladiator cast, Reed was an accomplished actor with roles stretching back to the 1950s. He b became a leading man in the 1960s with movies like The Curse of the Werewolf and The Damned. However, his true break out came in 1968 when he played Bill Sikes in Oliver! He received posthumous awards nominations from the BAFTA and SAG Awards for his performance in Gladiator.

6 Derek Jacobi

60 Years Old In Gladiator

Derek Jacobi played Senator Gracchus in Gladiator, and he was 60 years old when he worked on the movie. Senator Gracchus was one of the Roman Senate who opposed Commodus's rule and was a strong ally for Maximus. While not based on a real person, Gracchus and Senator Gaius (John Shrapnel) were slightly influenced by one man — Gaius Gracchus, a Roman politician and soldier who ended up killed in a political uprising in 121 BC.

Aside from the Gladiator cast, Jacobi, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994, is a very accomplished actor who has received two Olivier Awards (Cyrano de Bergerac, Twelfth Night), two Primetime Emmy Awards (The Tenth Man, Frasier), a Tony Award (Much Ado About Nothing), and many more. He will return for Gladiator II, reprising his role from the original movie. Other major movies he appeared in include Murder on the Orient Express, The King's Speech, and Underworld: Evolution.

5 Djimon Hounsou

35 Years Old In Gladiator

Djimon Hounsou turned 35 years old when he played Juba in Gladiator, seeing as his birthday is on April 24, so the cast and crew had another birthday to celebrate during filming. Juba was a Numidian tribesman and met Maximus when they both became enslaved individuals. Hounsou had minor success before appearing in Gladiator, including roles in Stargate and Deep Rising. Since Gladiator, Honsou has become a major Hollywood player.

After starring in the Gladiator cast, Hounsou starred in Biker Boyz, Constantine (as Papa Midnite), Beauty Shop, and The Island. He enjoyed a major breakout thanks to his role in Blood Diamond in 2006. Most fans today might know him best from his superhero movie roles. He starred as the MCU villain Korath the Pursuer in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, the DCU wizard in Shazam!, and the underwater ruler King Ricou in Aquaman. He is also part of the A Quiet Place franchise.

4 Richard Harris

68 Years Old In Gladiator

Richard Harris portrayed Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Commodus and Lucilla's father and Maximus's mentor in Gladiator. He was 68 years old at the time of filming. This makes him the oldest member of the Gladiator cast. One of the driving forces of the movie was Commodus murdering Marcus Aurelius before he could appoint Maximus as his successor. Harris began his acting career in 1959 and gained prominence thanks to his role in This Sporting Life, which earned him an Oscar nomination.

Harris died a couple of years after Gladiator premiered, but before that, he starred in The Guns of Navarone, The Field, and many other films. Most fans might Harris for the final major roles of his career. He played Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). That second movie was the last before his death.

3 Ralf Möller

40 Years Old In Gladiator

Ralf Möller turned 40 years old at the beginning of the production of Gladiator. The actor played Hagen, a Germanic fighter and Proximo's chief gladiator who later aligned with Maximus and Juba when they started fighting. Möller had been acting professionally since 1988, mostly taking on action movie roles thanks to his physical stature as a professional bodybuilder. His early movie roles include movies like Cyborg, Universal Soldier, and Best of the Best 2.

After Gladiator, he continued to appear in mostly smaller movies. His biggest follow-up movie was The Scorpion King, a Mummy spinoff movie starring Dwayne Johnson in an early role. He also appeared in everything from comedies like Broken Lizard's Beerfest and cult movies like Uwe Boll's Postal to big-budget thrillers like the Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie movie The Tourist.

2 Tommy Flanagan

33 Years Old In Gladiator

Tommy Flanagan starred as Cicero, Maximus's servant, in Gladiator, and the actor was 33 years old when he filmed his scenes for Ridley Scott's epic historical drama movie. Cicero was one of the many characters to sacrifice their lives for Maximus's cause in the film. Flanagan had only been acting for a few years before appearing in the Gladiator cast. He got his start in a similar historical epic in Mel Gibson's Braveheart as Morrison. He also appeared in Face/Off and The Game.

After his role in Gladiator, Flanagan ended up best known for his role of Filip "Chibs" Telford in the FX series Sons of Anarchy and later in Mayans M.C. Other major roles since Gladiator include Alien vs. Predator, Smokin' Aces, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the 2024 Russell Crowe movie Sleeping Dogs, reuniting him with his Gladiator co-star. He also took on a main role in the TV series Power Book IV: Force.