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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
