Connie Nielsen returned for Gladiator II to work with Sir Ridley Scott

Connie Nielsen says working with Sir Ridley Scott was "super important" for her return in 'Gladiator II''.

The 59-year-old actress reprises her role as Lucilla in the long-awaited sequel to the historical epic and explained that the opportunity to work closely with the 'Blade Runner' filmmaker was a key factor in her decision to sign up for the picture.

Connie told Screen Rant: "Well, first of all, obviously the opportunity to work with Ridley again was super important.

"And then there was this option of, oh my God, continuing telling the story of Lucilla, especially because they told me nothing about what would happen to her in the beginning.

"They just said, you will be happy, Connie, and they know me. So when I then finally did read the script, I was sort of like, yeah, yeah, I will be happy.

"And then we then started that amazing process that it is to work with Ridley and the incredible team of hundreds of people that he has brought with him, even from the first one.

"And just walking into the arena on that first day back was an absolute surreal experience."

Connie is one of the few returning cast members for the sequel – which features new stars including Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington – and explained the excitement she felt at the plot that Ridley has come up with for her alter ego.

The Danish star said: "I was just so excited to tell the story of this woman who Ridley has set up to hold within herself a crumbling empire and a crumbling legacy of her father, the loss of a son, and in the whole of it, this heart that's being loved by an amazing man called Pedro Pascal.

"And then this moment where she finds her son again. I mean, these are incredible experiences and situations that Ridley set up for me.

"How could I be anything but excited?"