While Denzel Washington has a villainous supporting role in Gladiator II, in interviews for the movie Denzel has come across as a respected elder, yet with a rather impish quality. It’s basically in the way he just talks about whatever he wants, not fearing any repercussions for spilling secrets. Like when he (probably) broke Marvel classified info by revealing he’ll be in Black Panther 3, or when he dropped ancient Roman tea that the same-sex kiss he filmed was axed from the final cut of Gladiator II. I mean, if even a king can’t push him around, why should he worry? And to give credit to Denzel, he doesn’t abuse his power (off screen). So in addition to telling King Charles not to rush him off his own red carpet, Denzel spent his time in London last week speaking with The Times for an in-depth profile. Some highlights:
On the reviews that he’s having fun in Gladiator II: “I’ve heard that too, and Macrinus is just more. More rings, more clothes, more.” He fixes me with a stare. “He wants power. How? By hook, crook, charm, smile, sex, murder, relationships and politics. Whatever it takes.” At one point, while discussing Macrinus’s sexual predilections, Washington blurts out, “Line up the virgins!” By which he means male or female, anyone will do. The actor claims that he shot a gay kiss for the film, but it was cut in the edit. “I think they got chicken.”
He doesn’t watch his films: “I watch it so I know what I’m talking about,” he says. “But I haven’t watched any film from my past from start to finish, not even Malcolm X. All you see is what you did wrong. Also why would you do it anyway?” He cackles before, rather campily, snarling: “‘Oh, wasn’t I good?’ You don’t read old articles do you? … It’s the same. ‘Ooh, I was brilliant here — what a sentence. I should try that again.’”
The three phases of life: “Well, in life, you learn, earn and then you return — as in give back. So if your life is 90 years long, up until 30 you learn and from 30 to 60 you earn.” He was 30 in 1984. “So in that era I was earning,” he laughs. “With a great agent, my career built into making money and so the earning kicked in and then life also kicked in, with bills, four kids and a house …” He grimaces. “After Malcolm X I made some real clunkers. Look them up — I won’t say their names.” However, I say, if you type his name into Google, one of the most common questions is “Is there a bad Denzel Washington movie?” “They are all in the 1990s. But I was earning. I had responsibilities.”
A good Samaritan: “You know, I stopped for gas the other day and I saw a woman stressed,” he continues. “I’m just sensitive, I guess. My sister is bipolar, so I could tell that she was mentally ill. So I said, ‘How you doing, sweetheart?’ and asked if she needed money. I said, ‘$500?’ She said no — $1,000! I thought she ain’t that crazy.!” Did she recognise you? “I don’t think so, but I gave her money. Then, as I’m pumping gas, she walked over to the shop window just rocking and a woman came out and looked like she was going to shoo her away. Then she saw me and said, ‘I love you!’ So I said, ‘You have a chance to help somebody, like I helped her.’ And the woman did. And I love that.”
Denzel really can’t stop talking about all the rings he got to wear in this movie and it cracks me up! I guess the poor guy has been costume and accessory-starved in his previous films, and now he has a taste for the fun stuff. Welcome, Denzel, but fair warning: this path can get expensive. And speaking of money, I like the pragmatic way he acknowledges that there are films he made to pay the bills, the “clunkers.” And of course he’s too classy to name them, because they are solid parts of his resume that allowed him to live a life, support a family, and have enough wiggle room to help a lady out at the gas station. It’s also worth noting that he was still giving great performances even in “bad” movies. Not that he would exactly know, I guess, since he says he doesn’t watch his work. And boy did Denzel successfully spin that back on the writer, asking if he praised himself while reading his articles. I mean, to go back and marvel at your own particularly clever-witted, well-crafted sentence? That would totally be silly/idiotic/egocentric and is absolutely 100% not something I’ve ever done myself.
Photos credit: Phil Lewis/Wenn/Avalon, IMAGO/mpi099/MediaPunch/Avalon, Starface Photo/Cover Images, Lumeimages.com/ImageBROKER/Avalon, Getty
LOL, i dont even have to think that hard Virtuosity was his clunker fim for me . i remember there was a lot of nude Denzel in it so i can’t even remember what the film was about lol
I remember Russell Crow talking about how he accidentally spit on Denzel during one of their scenes and he was sure his career was over before it even started but Denzel just wiped it off and continued with the scene. Also, I never realized Kayely Cuoco was in the movie. It is amazing how somebody becomes famous and then you realize that you have seen them 100 times before but it never registered
He better not be talking about Much Ado About Nothing.
No way!! He was absolutely charming in that film. I just showed it to my classes after we read the play and they ADORED it. His British accent was laughably bad, but so was Keanu Reeves (such a beautiful villain–I forgot I wasn’t supposed to be rooting for him!).
Anyone needing a pick me up, a sweet, smart movie that’s beautiful to look at, with hot young Emma Thompson and (not so hot) but charming Kenneth Branagh, check out Much Ado About Nothing! At the very least, by the end, you’ll want to go to Tuscany to dine outside at long tables dance through the countryside!
There’s the riding of the horse, and the shiny blue pants…
Or Fallen
Yes! I posted about FALLEN below. I love that movie! I can’t hear the song “Time is on My Side” without thinking of it.
I love Fallen. That’s probably one of the 90s clunkers he’s talking about, but it was super memorable and have seen it numerous times when it comes on tv.
The Preachers Wife was pretty terrible.
But I loved Whitney and that soundtrack. GOSPEL. God, I miss her voice!
Yeah, that was a 90s clunker for Denzel. RIP Whitney.
Funny because when I think about his films in the 90’s after Malcolm X, I immediately go to Philadelphia, USS Alabama, The Pelican brief or Hurricane Carter (this one was later?). A great body of work. I probably erased the clunkers.
For me, the really bad ones came later. The one with Ryan Reynolds or the one with Mark Wahlberg. And I didn’t enjoy The little things but it had more to do with Malek’s and Leto’s acting.
Yeah, it’s funny bc I can’t remember the bad ones either. I’m sure they’re there but I don’t recall.
I just watched the Gladiator II yesterday, and you can tell he was having fun with all of that power drag stuff 😂
Same and same! I was somewhat underwhelmed overall but loved him and you could tell he was having a blast.
I love that he still has his OG wife. I’m a woman of a certain age and it irks my soul when actors I grew up with trade their first wives for younger models and start whole new families in their twilight years.
Not particularly rumored to be faithful
Yeah, was going to say allegedly not faithful. Sanaa Lathan rumors on the set of Out of Time, among others. Also that private club Kos (check the name translation) in NYC he allegedly owned with Lenny Kravitz and others…
He’d better not be talking about FALLEN. I love that movie!! I rewatch it every few years and it holds up. Great supporting cast too: John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, James Gandolfini, and Elias Koteas.
I dunno. A Denzel clunker is probably a decent movie for lesser actors. His 90s films are decent. Maybe his definition of a clunker rests with the script caliber in his opinion, not the overall entertainment value.
This right here.
Any movie is at least halfway decent as long as it’s got Denzel.
But if I have to think of clunkers, Carbon Copy and For Queen and Country would come to mind — and those were in the ’80s.
I’m envious of all the jewellery that Macrinus has, and his togas. And, no matter what, I’d like an Oscar nom for Denzel, please and thank you.