Denzel Washington reveals that he has never fully watched any of the movies that he has been in. Washington is an acclaimed actor whose career has lasted nearly half a century. He received his first Oscar nomination in 1988 for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Cry Freedom. From there, he went on to win an Oscar two years later for Best Supporting Actor for Glory. These films helped establish Washington as an A-list actor, and he is still respected as such today. This year, Washington plays a role in the upcoming Ridley Scott historical epic Gladiator II.
In an interview with The Times, Washington reveals his stance on watching the films that he is in. In this conversation, the interviewer brought up Dame Judi Dench, who notoriously does not watch any of the movies she is in. Washington admitted that he is also “guilty” of this, saying that he only watches his own movies “so [he] know[s] what [he’s] talking about.” However, the actor “[hasn’t] watched any film from [his] past from start to finish,” including renowned work such as Malcolm X. Check out the full quote from Washington below:
“Guilty! I watch it so I know what I’m talking about. 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?”
What This Means For Denzel Washington
Washington Is Very Self-Critical
It is interesting that it seems that some incredibly talented actors, like Dench and Washington, are the ones who are most neglecting their own work. It is a testament to how seriously Washington takes his craft; he would be so self-critical of the end product that watching through it would be torturous. As evidenced on the publicity trail for Gladiator II, Washington is an actor who very thoughtfully reflects on his roles while preparing for them, so it also makes sense why he might want to put it away when he is done with a job.
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That said, Washington also takes a pragmatic approach when it comes to the decision to watch his own movies. When he says that he watches enough to know what he is talking about, he is likely referring to having enough knowledge to participate in interviews and other publicity for the film. Rather than concretely refuse to watch his movies, he simply doesn’t finish them, still allowing for some understanding of the cinematic choices at play. Washington’s career has come far enough that he understands what he tactically needs to do to get by.
Our Take On Denzel Washington Not Watching His Own Movies
Denzel Is In Some Great Work
The unfortunate thing for Washington about not watching his own movies in full is that he is missing out on some spectacular works of art. Many of Washington’s movies have 90% or higher scores on Rotten Tomatoes, showing universal acclaim from critics. Furthermore, both the actor himself and the films that he is a part of have received Oscar nominations, further cementing their value. It is completely understandable that Washington may not want to watch his own movies because of his own self-criticism, but nonetheless it means the actor is missing some great work.
Source: The Times
