Though two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington’s last appearance on screen was in 2018, it’s never too late to discuss one of our most talented live performers. Washington has portrayed the most sympathetic heroes, the cruellest villains, and everyday folks in between, and he’s always been brilliant.
From Shakespeare to a trash-TV-based action series, he can do it all. He’s worked with a slew of the world’s most brilliant filmmakers, and his clout in the industry helped a lot of them get their start. And he’s demonstrated he can hold his own beside them by directing classics like ‘Antwone Fisher’ and ‘Fences’. He violated a decades-long taboo on African-American actors winning Academy Awards, then went on to win another little gold award to prove it wasn’t a fluke.
Highlights:
- Denzel played a very important role in Chadwick Boseman’s life
- According to Tom Hanks, Washington was the finest acting coach he ever had
From a star to a humble human, Denzel Washington is everything dreamy artists are made of. This is also why Corey Hawkins is incredibly grateful to know Denzel Washington.
Yes, his iconic co-star in ‘Macbeth: Tragedy’ said, “I love to follow in his footsteps, but I know I can’t follow in the footsteps of this guy”.
“Share his dressing room space, chat, pray, listen, discuss sports, talk, no matter what you say, you shouldn’t meet your hero, but he’s the best ever.”
Denzel played a very important role in Chadwick Boseman’s life
Washington has used his talents and wealth wisely to invest in young and struggling artists. Phylicia Rashad, who played Phylicia in ‘The Cosby Show’, taught theatre at Howard University in Washington, DC in the late 1990s. Some of her students were accepted into the midsummer program at the famous British American Academy of Drama but couldn’t pay the tuition fees. Rashad asked Washington to help pay off her bill, and he agreed.
One of them being the late ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman. In honour of Washington, he said at the American Film Institute ceremony:
“… I’m sure similar stories can be found in boys and girls clubs, theatres and churches across the country … without Denzel Washington there would be no Black Panther … he counts for culture during his set career. At the cost of so much, and what he didn’t want to compromise on the way, laid the foundation for us to obey.”
Wahington’s one of the first actors to film in Mecca
Malcolm X takes his subject’s Muslim faith seriously, depicting the start of his political awakening when he converts to Islam after meeting a Nation of Islam member in prison. Spike Lee also presents Malcolm X’s journey or hajj to Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, as a pivotal moment in his life. The activist is inspired to abandon the Nation of Islam’s racial separatist beliefs after worshipping among Muslims of all races, a choice that leads to his death.
According to Tom Hanks, Washington was the finest acting coach he ever had
In 1993, Washington featured Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, which became one of his most recognizable performances. It starred Tom Hanks as a former lawyer whose bosses dismiss him after they find he is HIV-positive, and Denzel Washington as the attorney who defends him when he sues for discrimination. It was one of the first films to deal with both the AIDS crisis and a likeable gay protagonist.
The actor and director are still working hard, but he’s also looking for new opportunities. He remarked that he’s willing to assist younger performers, such as Corey Hawkins, his ‘Tragedy Macbeth’ co-star. And it appears that many people have already profited from his guidance. Michael B. Jordan, who collaborated with him on ‘A Journal for Jordan’, gushed about how fun it was to see him work. Jordan valued the experience and feels it will help him prepare for his directorial debut.
And don’t think the ‘Remember the Titans’ alum has taught younger talents. While working on the critically acclaimed drama set, his ‘Philadelphia’ co-star Tom Hanks soaked up much information from him. Hanks recalls sitting next to him during the trial scenes and simply watching the celebrity go to work. “It was a thriller of an acting class”, the ‘Forrest Gump’ star said gleefully.
It will be fascinating to watch what Denzel Washington does next, and whatever it is, he will undoubtedly give it his all.
