When it came to the emperors in "Gladiator II" — Caracalla, played by Fred Hechinger and Geta, played by Joseph Quinn, I envisioned them embracing their appearance with boldness, wearing makeup not as an indulgence but as a statement. Inspired by the ethereal, almost translucent tones of Christ figures in Renaissance paintings, their skin held an unnatural, ghostly whiteness with a subtle hint of green or yellow — a shade that spoke to both beauty and an unsettling strength.
