Two-time Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington said taking home Hollywood&#8217;s biggest honor doesn&#8217;t matter much to him in the long run.
The 70-year-old star, who has also been nominated for Academy Awards nine times, made the remarks while speaking to &#8220;Jake&#8217;s Takes&#8221; on his &#8220;Highest 2 Lowest&#8221; press tour. He confirmed that he did not choose projects based on his likelihood of winning an Oscar.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t do it for Oscars. I don&#8217;t care about that kind of stuff,&#8221; Washington said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been at this a long time, and there&#8217;s time when I won and shouldn&#8217;t have won and then didn&#8217;t win and should&#8217;ve won. Man gives the award. God gives the reward.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m not that interested in Oscars,&#8221; the &#8220;Training Day&#8221; actor added. &#8220;People ask me, &#8216;Where do I keep it?&#8217; Well, next to the other one. I&#8217;m not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, [Oscars] aren&#8217;t going to do me a bit of good.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot;I DON&#039;T DO IT FOR OSCARS!&quot; Denzel Washington Talks Awards, Kurosawa &amp; Spike Lee&#039;s HIGHEST 2 LOWEST" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8As1OCu-FVs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
This attitude aligns with statements he made in the past. While many of his fans believed Washington was snubbed for his work on &#8220;Gladiator II&#8221; last year, he reacted to the idea by telling <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/magazine/denzel-washington-interview.html">The New York Times</a>, &#8220;Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I&#8217;m so upset. Listen, I&#8217;ve been around too long. I&#8217;m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that&#8217;s exciting.&#8221;
Washington has also been outspoken about his Christian faith for years.
&#8220;Things I said about God when I was a little boy, just reciting them in church along with everybody else, I know now. God is real. God is love. God is the only way. God is the true way. God blesses. It&#8217;s my job to lift God up, to give Him praise, to make sure that anyone and everyone I speak to the rest of my life understands that He is responsible for me,&#8221; Washington <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a62888212/denzel-washington-gladiator-2-interview-2024/">wrote</a> in a personal essay published in Esquire last year. 
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&#8220;When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I&#8217;ve been given by my lord and savior. I&#8217;m unafraid. I don&#8217;t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it — you can&#8217;t talk like that and win Oscars. You can&#8217;t talk like that and party. You can&#8217;t say that in this town.&#8221;

Denzel Washington

‘Won’t Do Me A Bit Of Good’: Denzel Washington Reveals The Big Achievement He No Longer Cares About

Denzel Washington Says He Doesn't Care About Winning Oscars, 'Won't Do Me A Bit Of Good' After Death

Academy Awards

Celebrities

Entertainment

Faith

Hollywood

Actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/denzel-washington">Denzel Washington</a> was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/christianity">baptized</a> and presented with a minister license, which allows him to become ordained in the future, during a Facebook livestream on Saturday. 
The event occurred at Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ located in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. 
At one point, Washington took the microphone to reflect on what being baptized meant to him. &#8220;In one week I turn 70,&#8221; he said, per <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/denzel-washington-baptized-rcna185155">Today</a>. &#8220;It took a while, but I&#8217;m here.&#8221;
Later on, he told a story about meeting a woman at his mother’s beauty parlor when he was 20.
“She said, ‘Boy, you are going to travel the world and preach to millions of people,’” the “Gladiator II” star said. “She wouldn’t even spell the word prophecy. My mother wrote the word prophecy&#8230;50 years later, look at God. If He can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is the limit and there’s no limit to the sky.”
Washington also said he was thankful for his &#8220;loving, faithful wife,&#8221; Pauletta Washington. The pair has been married since 1983.
&#8220;To God be the glory. Hallelujah!&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Anything I can do, I will do for this church, the Almighty. I just want to be in that number when the saints go marching in.&#8221;
Archbishop Christopher Bryant also shared photos of the event in a Facebook post. 
&#8220;We celebrate the addition of Minister Denzel Washington into the clergy, having received his minister&#8217;s license in the Church of God in Christ today, in a truly uplifting moment,&#8221; the post <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4065410110451372&amp;id=100009472709165&amp;mibextid=wwXIfr&amp;rdid=iKWGRHhGBJZaVmDd#">said</a>.
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&#8220;He is dressed that way because, in the same service, he received water baptism,&#8221; the post went on. &#8220;Both the baptism and the licensing took place at the Historic Kelly Temple in NYC, a place close to his heart. Denzel Washington attended this church as a child and testified to being filled with the Holy Spirit after visiting another church with actor Robert Townsend in the 80&#8217;s.&#8221;
&#8220;Denzel Washington’s recent commitment to faith and service is truly inspiring,&#8221; Bryant wrote in a follow-up Facebook post. &#8220;His baptism and licensing to preach is the culmination of a life of faith.&#8221;
The actor had spoken about faith before. “If you don’t have a spiritual anchor you’ll be easily blown by the wind and you’ll be led to depression,” he said in 2021, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-a-god-fearing-man-denzel-washington-explains-his-christian-beliefs-to-new-york-times-dismisses-hollywood-focus-on-racial-diversity">reported</a>.
“I’m a God-fearing man,” Washington said at the time. “I try not to worry. Fear is contaminated faith.”

Denzel Washington Baptized, Becomes Minister During Livestream In NYC Church

Christianity

New York City

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Gladiator II</a>” director Ridley Scott pushed back against reports that a same-sex kiss shared between one of the movie’s stars, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/denzel-washington">Denzel Washington</a>, and another actor was left on the cutting room floor.
“No, that’s bull****,” Scott <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/columns/gladiator-2-ridley-scott-responds-denzel-washington-cut-gay-kiss-1236213011/">told</a> a Variety reporter Monday night at the “Gladiator II” premiere in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">Hollywood</a>. The director clarified, “They never did. They acted the moment — it didn’t happen.”
Washington also appeared to walk back his original statement, saying at the same premiere that the kiss was just a “peck” on the lips.
“It really is much ado about nothing,” the actor said. “They’re making more of it than it was. I kissed him on his hands, I gave him a peck and I killed him.”
The alleged kiss made <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/denzel-washington-says-gay-kiss-scene-got-cut-from-gladiator-2-guess-they-got-chicken">headlines</a> last week in anticipation of the action drama’s debut on November 22. It was mentioned during an interview Washington did for the publication Gayety in response to the interviewer asking, “How gay is the Roman empire?”
“I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken,” the actor replied. “I kissed a guy full on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet. I killed him about five minutes later. It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
Scott had previously confirmed that Washington’s character, the wealthy Roman businessman Macrinus, had a “twinkle” of bisexuality.
“Also, he’s a gangster,” the director continued. “I think he was clearly a prisoner of war, went to the ring, earned his freedom, suddenly working in a giant bread factory and supplied bread for the Roman army. He maybe eventually took that over, then goes to munitions, so he’s an arms dealer. I thought that was his evolution. He said, ‘Oh, I like that. I’m a gangster.’”
There was an unscripted kiss on the forehead between two male actors, Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, which Scott said didn’t make the theatrical release, but may be included in the director’s cut.
“Gladiator II,” the follow-up to the five-time Academy Award-winning historical epic from 2000, is already generating Oscar buzz, specifically for Washington.

‘Gladiator 2’ Director Ridley Scott Says Same-Sex Kiss ‘Didn’t Happen’: ‘That’s Bull****’

'Gladiator 2' Director Ridley Scott Says Same-Sex Kiss 'Didn't Happen': 'That's Bull****'

Movies

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Denzel Washington</a> said he filmed a same-sex kiss scene, but it was ultimately cut from his upcoming <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film</a>, “Gladiator II.”
The 69-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">Oscar-winning actor</a> stars in Ridley Scott’s historical action film as Macrinus, a wealthy Roman businessman who keeps a stable of gladiators for sport, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/gladiator-2-cut-gay-kiss-denzel-washington-1236209639/">Variety</a>.
The “Gladiator II” script says the character had been in relationships with other men in the past. This fact inspired an interviewer for Gayety to ask Washington, “How gay is the Roman empire?”
“I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken,” the actor replied. “I kissed a guy full on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet. I killed him about five minutes later. It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death.”
Scott responded to a question from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/07/movies/ridley-scott-gladiator-ii-denzel-washington.html">The New York Times</a> about Macrinus’ “hints of bisexuality” by saying, “There’s a twinkle.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
“Also, he’s a gangster,” the director continued. “I think he was clearly a prisoner of war, went to the ring, earned his freedom, suddenly working in a giant bread factory and supplied bread for the Roman army. He maybe eventually took that over, then goes to munitions, so he’s an arms dealer. I thought that was his evolution. He said, ‘Oh, I like that. I’m a gangster.’”
Paul Mescal, who plays Lucius Verus in the upcoming film, said he threw in an unscripted kiss scene and didn’t know how it would be received. The actor told <a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/ridley-scott-promised-paul-mescal-kissing-pedro-pascal-gladiator-ii-directors-cut">CinemaBlend</a> recently that he sporadically kissed Pedro Pascal, who plays Marcus Acacius, on the forehead during a fight scene.
“I didn’t tell Ridley I was gonna do it. And then I was nervous after we did it because I thought he was going to f***ing hate it,” Mescal told the outlet. “So I nervously go over the radio being like, ‘Ridley? Did you like the kiss on the forehead? Yay or nay?’ And there was this kind of, like, [static] ‘I’m afraid I did.’ So I don&#8217;t know where it got lost in the edit, but I trust this man entirely, though. How he cuts his films.”
Scott told the outlet that the deleted forehead kiss scene could make the director’s cut. 
“Gladiator II,” the follow-up to a five-time Academy Award-winning historical epic from 2000, is already generating Oscar buzz, specifically for Washington.

Denzel Washington Says Gay Kiss Scene Got Cut From ‘Gladiator 2’: ‘Guess They Got Chicken’

Denzel Washington Talks Gay Kiss Getting Cut From 'Gladiator 2': 'Guess They Got Chicken'

Woke bylaws have dramatically changed Hollywood’s product.
Raunchy comedies are out, with “Ricky Stanicky” being an exception relegated to Amazon Prime. Old-school rom-coms went the way of the fax machine, with the mediocre “Anyone But You” over-performing with love-starved patrons.
Yet Hollywood’s new moral order has no qualms about making hitmen (and women) the newest trend.
Yes, many recent films ask us to empathize with stone-cold killers. They murder for a living, earn fabulous paychecks, and often live to see the end credits roll. And they anchor a shocking number of films. Let’s tally up some recent examples.
<ul>
<li>Brad Pitt in “Bullet Train” (2022)</li>
<li>The “John Wick” franchise – plus “The Continental,” a new Peacock series and the upcoming “Ballerina” spinoff with Ana de Armas.</li>
<li>Michael Fassbender in “The Killer” (2023)</li>
<li>“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” (2017) and its sequel, “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (2021)</li>
<li>Mary Elizabeth Winstead in “Kate” (2021)</li>
<li>Jessica Chastain in “Ava” (2020)</li>
<li>Sasha Luss in “Anna” (2019)</li>
<li>Michael Keaton, Maggie Q in “The Protégé” (2021)</li>
<li>Glen Powell in “Hit Man” (June 2024)</li>
<li>Taraji P. Henson in “Proud Mary” (2018)</li>
<li>Three “Equalizer” films starring Denzel Washington</li>
</ul>
Some of these films are played for laughs. Pitt’s paid killer brings a comic, Zen-like approach to his craft. Most movies make it clear we’re meant to root for the assassins. They’re almost always smart, shrewd, and good at their work.
<div id="attachment_710089" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710089" class="size-large wp-image-710089" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-864x576.jpg" alt="Brad Pitt and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in &quot;Bullet Train.&quot; 87North/Columbia Pictures/Sony. 2022." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt.jpg 2002w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />87North/Columbia Pictures/Sony. 2022.</div>
This month, Michael Keaton directs himself in “Knox Goes Away,” the tale of a veteran hit man forced into retirement by dementia. Keaton’s character, John Knox, attempts to “cash out” while he can, hoping to funnel his money to his estranged family members.
It’s Keaton’s second time behind the camera. His directorial debut, 2008’s “The Merry Gentleman,” also found Keaton playing a hit man with a heart of gold.
What’s happening?
Antiheroes are all the rage in Hollywood. Blame Tony Soprano and Walter White. The deeply flawed figures at the heart of “The Sopranos” and “Breaking Bad,” respectively, taught us to engage with damaged souls.
The hitmen genre flows effortlessly from there.
<div id="attachment_710103" style="width: 811px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710103" class="size-large wp-image-710103" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-801x576.jpg" alt="Actors Aaron Paul (L) and Bryan Cranston (R), pose in the press room after Cranston won Best Actor in a TV drama and &quot;Breaking Bad&quot; won Best Series - Drama, at the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, January 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)" width="801" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-801x576.jpg 801w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-300x216.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-768x552.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px" />ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images</div>
It helps that the genre taps into our collective bloodlust. Few films choreograph death and destruction with the majesty of the “John Wick” saga. Every film is a ballet of bloodshed.
Other stories guarantee big, bold action sequences, the kind that play well in international markets.
Ka-ching!
These films also tap into our hunger for redemption. Yes, we enjoy seeing fathers reunite with their children on screen, or addicts come clean after years of hard living. What’s more powerful than an assassin realizing his line of work has crushed his soul?
Keaton’s character in “Knox Goes Away” knows he’s dying, but he’ll use his last days to repair some of the damage done to his son and ex-wife. The screenplay also makes clear that the targets of his handiwork essentially had it coming.
No judge. No jury. Just an execution.
<div id="attachment_710087" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710087" class="size-large wp-image-710087" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-1024x512.jpg" alt="Michael Keaton in &quot;Know Goes Away.&quot; Brookstreet Pictures. IMDB. 2024." width="1024" height="512" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-300x150.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-768x384.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-2048x1024.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Brookstreet Pictures. IMDB. 2024.</div>
Hollywood also recognizes something about the zeitgeist. American audiences are sick of seeing assailants walk after committing heinous attacks. Soft-on-crime policies permeate big cities, and to see deeply flawed people kill said thugs is cathartic.
Too many stores now lock up the essentials for fear of even more theft.
The fascinating part of this cultural shift circles back to the woke movement. Today’s movies can’t luxuriate in the “male gaze” without triggering cries of “The Patriarchy!” The few R-rated comedies that traffic in “problematic” themes get pummeled by mainstream movie critics. Reviewers pounced on Amy Schumer’s “Snatched” for casting minorities <a href="https://ew.com/tv/2018/05/05/bill-maher-amy-schumer-i-feel-pretty-critics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as the villain.</a>
Many classic movies couldn’t be made today thanks to the new, progressive mindset.
Yet woke scolds won’t go near the hit man genre. No outrage. No calls for their cultural banishment. No hashtag campaigns designed to snuff them out.
The same isn’t true, ironically, for vigilante films.
When Bruce Willis revived the classic “Death Wish” franchise in 2018, critics howled in protest. Even the film’s trailer <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4761804/Bruce-Willis-remake-Death-Wish-labeled-racist-alt-right.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triggered</a> cries of racism and fascism.
How is Paul Kersey’s one-man war on crime different than John Wick slaughtering literally hundreds over the course of that franchise?
It isn’t. Actually, Wick’s body count is far worse. So is his moral compass.
Jennifer Garner fared far better with the similarly themed 2018 film “Peppermint.” Social critics pulled most of their punches, probably because the vigilante <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/peppermint-trailer-media-hypocrisy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in question</a> was a woman.
<div id="attachment_710075" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710075" class="size-large wp-image-710075" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 28: Jennifer Garner attends the premiere of STX Entertainment's 'Peppermint' at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 on August 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Neilson Barnard/Getty Images</div>
That reminds us how hypocritical the woke movement remains. Social justice types rage against “ageist” attacks on President Joe Biden but stood down when Will Ferrell flirted with an Alzheimer’s <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/will-ferrells-reagan-script-actual-888804/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comedy based on President Ronald Reagan</a>.
They tried to cancel country singer Morgan Wallen’s career after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-morgan-wallen-first-interview-since-n-word-video-deplatforming-i-can-only-come-tell-my-truth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uttered the “n-word”</a> in a private conversation caught on tape. Yet they rally behind First Son Hunter Biden, a man who <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/06/10/mainstream-media-ignores-lewd-hunter-biden-n-word-texts-to-his-lawyer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repeatedly</a> used the same word in text messages.
The woke Left will rage against a comedian for telling the “wrong” joke or a comedy for telling so-called <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/17/get-hard-review-will-ferrell-adds-to-slew-of-gay-panic-comedies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“gay panic”</a> jokes. If the hero snuffs out someone without a trial they look the other way.
Heck, make the assassin female and they might dub it “empowering.”
There’s little chance Hollywood will slow the flow of assassin-themed films. Some still make serious coin, and crime remains out of control across the country.
It’s not logical, but a part of us feels safer with people like John Wick meting out justice. Hollywood’s topsy-turvy moral compass doesn’t seem to mind.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

eq3Picture1

Hollywood’s Obsession With Hitmen Movies

Hollywood's Obsession With Hitmen Movies

Brad Pitt

Breaking Bad

Jennifer Garner

Keanu Reeves

Michael Keaton

Readers Pass

Few stars remain box office attractions into their golden years. Clint Eastwood, 93, rushes to mind, and 61-year-old Tom Cruise may likely join him over the next decade. Harrison Ford, at 81, also draws a crowd but it’s mostly via established franchises like “Star Wars” and “Blade Runner.”
Then there&#8217;s Oscar winner Denzel Washington, whose star has yet to dim. In fact, it may be as bright as ever. 
Washington’s latest film, “The Equalizer 3,” snagged an impressive $42.8 million over Labor Day Weekend, a time of the year when few films rock the box office. The franchise isn’t as big as the “Fast &amp; Furious” saga, nor as heavily hyped as your average superhero chapter.
Washington was the main attraction, again, and that’s all audiences needed to know. The actor wasn’t able to promote the film due to the dueling Hollywood strikes, but when audiences saw his face on the poster, they reacted accordingly.
<div id="attachment_620285" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-620285" class="size-large wp-image-620285" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1434772151-864x576.jpg" alt="ATRANI, ITALY - OCTOBER 19: Antoine Fuqua, Gaia Scodellaro, Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington attends &quot;The Equalizer 3&quot; photocall on October 19, 2022 in Atrani, Amalfi, Italy. (Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1434772151-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1434772151-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1434772151-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1434772151.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />ATRANI, ITALY &#8211; OCTOBER 19: Antoine Fuqua, Gaia Scodellaro, Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington attends &#8220;The Equalizer 3&#8221; photocall on October 19, 2022 in Atrani, Amalfi, Italy. (Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images)</div>
Washington’s presence doesn’t guarantee box office success, but his bond with the American movie-going public remains as strong as ever. It’s no accident as to why.
Let’s start with talent.
Washington’s range lets him play rough-and-tumble heroes (“Safe House,” “Man on Fire”) as well as broken souls hungry for redemption (“Flight,” “Fences”). He’s a two-time Oscar winner, and chances are he could snag a third before he calls it a career.
The word gravitas is over-used in Hollywood, but Washington has it in abundance. That face, that steely gaze can say plenty without a screenwriter tapping his or her keyboard.
The Movie Star Era is all but over, but the 68-year-old is one of the few, stubborn holdouts.
Washington stays within his brand, generally playing flawed but fascinating heroes (“Roman J. Israel, Esq.” “Unstoppable” “The Equalizer” franchise). He earned his Best Actor honor for 2001’s “Training Day,” one of the few times he played a deeply corrupt soul. (He previously earned a Best Supporting Actor trophy for 1989’s “Glory.”)
<div id="attachment_620289" style="width: 413px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-620289" class="size-large wp-image-620289" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-51093739-403x576.jpg" alt="402720 240: Winner Of The Best Actor Academy Award For His Performance In &quot;Training Day,&quot; Denzel Washington Poses For A Photograph At The Govenor's Ball After The 74Th Annual Academy Awards March 24, 2002 At The Kodak Theater In Hollywood, Ca. (Photo By Getty Images)" width="403" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-51093739-403x576.jpg 403w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-51093739-210x300.jpg 210w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-51093739.jpg 717w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px" />Photo By Getty Images</div>
Many A-list actors work, and work, sometimes starring in multiple films a year. Not Washington.
He takes matters more slowly, choosing his projects with care. That means he’s never over-exposed in the public eye.
He also isn’t a steady presence on social media and steers clear of political in-fighting. That alone sets him apart from his peers, ensuring audiences see him as an actor first and rarely an activist.
That doesn’t mean he’s the strong and silent type.
The star took umbrage with a fake news article suggesting he had switched his support from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election cycle. <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/309142-denzel-washington-blasts-media-for-selling-bs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He lashed out at the press</a> for spreading the false information.
<blockquote>“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do read it, you’re misinformed.”</blockquote>
He even took the high road immediately after fellow superstar Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars ceremony. Washington chose to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/03/entertainment/denzel-washington-will-smith-oscar-slap/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pray with Smith</a> rather than join those eager to smite the “Fresh Prince” alum.
<blockquote>“Who are we to condemn? I don’t know all the ins and outs of the situation, but I know the only solution was prayer.”</blockquote>
Many Hollywood stars use their celebrity clout to promote Democratic politicians or causes. Washington flexes his fame to promote the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, a relationship that began back in the late 1990s. He leaned on the group as a lad and knows the value the organization brings to the next generation.
He’s also shared his wealth for other worthy causes, including scholarships to medical students, establishing the Denzel Washington Endowed Chair in Theatre at his alma mater, Fordham University and supporting historically black <a href="https://www.essence.com/news/denzel-washington-family-foundation-commits-1-million-to-support-hbcu-in-texas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.</a>
That charity streak, combined with his oft-heroic roles, forged a unique bond between actor and audience.
Washington has risked that relationship with one part of his belief system. The actor is an unabashed Christian and he often evokes God during his interviews. That can be “problematic” in show business circles. It helps that Washington shares his spiritual side with grace and delicacy, never proselytizing when he can uplift those around him.
Still, <a href="https://www.iheart.com/content/2022-04-03-10-times-denzel-washington-was-candid-about-his-christian-faith/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comments like this</a> could spell trouble for lesser stars.
<blockquote>&#8220;One of the most important lessons in life that you should know is to remember to have an attitude of gratitude, of humility, understand where the gift comes from. It&#8217;s not mine, it&#8217;s been given to me by the grace of God.&#8221;</blockquote>
Not Washington. Even the faith-averse press gives him a pass.
His “Magnificent Seven” co-star, avowed Christian Chris Pratt, isn’t so fortunate. That’s no knock on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” star, but few actors enjoy the goodwill generated by Washington.
<div id="attachment_620299" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-620299" class="size-large wp-image-620299" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1388067051-864x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: (L-R) Pauletta Washington and Denzel Washington attend the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1388067051-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1388067051-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1388067051-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/GettyImages-1388067051.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic</div>
Washington has been both famous and scandal-free for decades. That’s no easy feat given the temptations of fame. He’s even been married to <a href="https://www.bet.com/article/dn2bej/denzel-washington-40th-wedding-anniversary-timeline#:~:text=The%20couple%20first%20met%20in,been%20married%20for%2040%20years.&amp;text=On%20June%2025th%2C%201983%2C%20they,celebrating%2040%20years%20of%20marriage." target="_blank" rel="noopener">the same woman</a>, Pauletta Washington, for 40 years. They have four children, including rising star John David Washington of “Tenet” fame.
Staying married in Hollywood that long is an achievement unto itself. For Washington, it’s just one more reason audiences haven’t tired of his superstar presence.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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