| | |  | Denzel Washington News & Gossip | | Page 2 of 2 |  1 2 | |
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| | Denzel Washington: 'For whatever reason, I never befriended any white actors' | | Added 12 years ago | Source: CeleBitchy |
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You know what?s surprising? Denzel Washington?s complete lack of an Oscar campaign this year. Denzel was nominated for Best Actor this year for his performance as a substance-abusing airline pilot in Flight, his first Oscar nomination since he won his second Oscar in 2002 for Training Day. Eleven years without a nomination? you?d think that Denzel would be engaged in at least an undercover Oscar campaign, but it?s almost like he?s been sitting this one out. Maybe he just thinks it?s time for the other actors to do the hustlin?. Maybe he doesn?t need the accolades at this point. I don?t know. What I do know is that he has a new interview in The Guardian, and it?s pretty much the first thing I?ve read about him in two months. It?s actually a really good piece ? The Guardian can be kind of judgy and patronizing, especially towards American celebrities, but I think the interviewer liked Denzel, and Denzel was in the mood to talk. And talk and talk. Some highlights:
The first & last time he drank on the job: “I did a movie in London in the 80s, For Queen and Country, and there was a scene where we had to drink. So me and this other young actor said: ‘Man, let’s really drink.’ We had some scotch and thought we were playing it pretty cool. And the director said: ‘What’s wrong with you guys?’ We thought we were wild but we were really just dull. The director was pissed off and it taught me a lesson. That was the last time I ever drank while working. Because it doesn’t work. I’ve worked with actors who’ve crossed that line and it’s just not worth it. You think you’re giving 100%, but all the while your level is dropping.”
He became an actor by prophecy: “Acting was my calling,” he says today. “The year I started acting there was a woman in my mother’s beauty shop, a kind of seer if you like, who kept looking at me in the mirror. Finally she got a piece of paper and wrote ‘prophecy’ at the top. She said: ‘You are going to travel the world and preach to millions of people.’ Now, bear in mind that I’d just been kicked out of school. I said: ‘You see anything there about me being let back into school?’” He chuckles. “That was March 75 and September 75 I started acting. I still got that piece of paper too.”
His father was a Pentecostal preacher, and Denzel has returned to the Pentecostal church: The actor was raised in a religious household, strayed briefly in his youth and is now firmly back on side. In 1995 he donated $2.5m to help build a Pentecostal cathedral near his Los Angeles home. Regular attendees include Magic Johnson, Stevie Wonder and Washington himself.
He wonders if he should preach: “I remember some years ago asking my pastor: ‘Do you think I’m supposed to be a preacher?’ And he said: ‘Well, you are. You have a pulpit of your own.’ That’s not to say that I’m preaching, necessarily. I don’t want to tell you what you need to do. I mean, I’m not turning it up to 10 when it comes to being correct, I’m not that guy, I like my wine.”
Playing a character in Flight who calls on God for help: “That’s right,” says Washington. “But by that point he’s got nowhere to hide. It’s like what’s going on with this Lance Armstrong stuff now. The jig is up. And that line ‘God help me’ was very important to me. As an arc as much as anything. You see this butt-naked, coke-sniffing, weed-smoking guy finally get to the point where he can say: ‘God help me.’ He gets his life back.”
He doesn?t have friends within the industry: An upright, Christian movie star must be something of a rarity in the modern-day Gomorrah of Beverly Hills and he shrugs and frowns and insists that I’m confusing the town of Los Angeles with the industry itself. “But actually, even within the industry, I don’t have any actor friends,” he concedes. “My friends are old friends. One’s an ex-music guy, the other’s a restaurant owner and the other’s an ex-pro ballplayer.” Why hasn’t he made any actor friends? Washington chortles. “Because I don’t make friends! Maybe I’m not a butt-kisser, maybe I’m not a schmoozer. I’m not about to go to a party to try to get a job. And then when you have children, the other friends become other parents. We’d coach baseball or basketball. My wife and I were raised right. I don’t want movie-star friends. And? being African American, there were no big movie stars to hang out with anyway, not when I was starting out, they were just the third guy from the back! For whatever reason, I never befriended any white actors.”
He?s a working actor, not a celebrity: “I had one six-month period in 1982 when I couldn’t get a job. I had done a movie called Carbon Copy and then I did a play and then I had these six months where nothing happened, where I started looking at the department of recreation and thinking: ‘Acting’s not for me.’ And then I caught a play about Malcolm X, off-off-Broadway in New York and I haven’t been unemployed ever since. I’m a working actor! What’s a celebrity anyway? Paris Hilton’s a celebrity. I’m just a working actor.”
[From The Guardian]
See? Denzel was really talkative and not grumpy at all, which seems unusual these days. I guess we should talk about ?For whatever reason, I never befriended any white actors??? I don?t know, I feel like he was just shooting the sh-t and he might not have meant that at face value. Denzel has a lot of ?professional friends? and work acquaintances who adore him. Tom Hanks thinks he?s the bee?s knees. Julia Roberts is crazy about him. He?s tight with Spike Lee too. See? He has friends in the industry. But I understand what he?s saying about ?when you have children, the other friends become other parents.?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
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| | Denzel Washington Premieres 'Flight' in UK | | Added 12 years ago | Source: Celebrity Gossip |
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Heading across the pond for some international promotions, Denzel Washington showed up at the premiere of his new film ?Flight? today (January 17) in London, England.
The ?Man on Fire? star was more than happy to engage fans and pose for pictures, despite the chilly winter weather outside the Empire Leicester Square.
Now playing here in the States, ?Flight? is about an airline pilot who saves a flight from crashing. However, during an investigation into the cause of the malfunction, troubling findings are uncovered.
Denzel scored an Oscar nod for his performance in the movie, though he definitely isn?t taking the honor for granted. He told press, ?It still feels good to know people appreciate what you?re doing.?
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| | Denzel Washington & Ryan Reynolds: 'safe House' Studs | | Added 13 years ago | Source: Celebrity Gossip |
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Showing some love to their Spanish fans, Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds were spotted at a photocall for their new film ?Safe House? in Madrid on Tuesday (January 31).
The ?American Gangster? stud and the ?Van Wilder? hunk joined Swedish director Daniel Espinosa for some press duties at the Villamagna Hotel.
And it sounds like there was plenty of action on the film?s set, both scripted and freestyle- Denzel told press that Ryan gave him his first black eye!
"I've never had a black eye in my life! There's a scene where I reach over to try to choke him while I have handcuffs on. We were flying around in the car. It just happened that as I was reaching forward he was flying back ... and POW," explained Washington.
Ryan added, "That was my early retirement. I've given Denzel Washington a black eye and I should probably go home. I'm glad I was your first. If it had to be anyone, it was an apologetic Canadian."
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| | Denzel Washington: Penn Graduation Speaker | | Added 14 years ago | Source: Celebrity Gossip |
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He?s known the world over as one of the most gifted actors of our time, and Denzel Washington was given an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree at the University of Pennsylvania?s 255th Commencement ceremony today (May 16).
The ?Man On Fire? actor also gave the commencement speech at the ceremony, sporting the traditional graduation garb and a pair of spectacles.
Denzel told the Ivy League graduates that he had to overcome insecurity to even show up and speak because he was afraid to ?make a fool of myself.?
He also encouraged the students to ?have the guts to fail- If you don?t fail you?re not even trying.?
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| | Anne Hathaway Hosts 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Concert | | Added 14 years ago | Source: Celebrity Gossip |
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Fresh off of promoting her new movie "Love and Other Drugs," Anne Hathaway made the long trip to Oslo, Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize concert on Saturday (December 11).
Joining fellow actor Denzel Washington, the pair began the day by tending to a press conference before getting dressed up for stage co-hosting duties later in the evening.
During the festivities, artists from all over the world gathered at the Oslo Spektrum to celebrate this year's Nobel Peace Prize recipient - as the honor was symbolically awarded to jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.
Xiaobo is one year into an 11-year sentence handed down unto him for "inciting subversion" stemming from his charter calling for a change to democracy in his homeland of China.
Aside from Hathaway and Washington acting as hosts, performers at the concert included India.Arie, Colbie Caillat, Barry Manilow, Herbie Hancock and Robyn.
More Photos Here
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| | Jennifer Lopez: Boys & Girls Club Spokeswoman | | Added 14 years ago | Source: Celebrity Gossip |
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Stepping out for a good cause, Jennifer Lopez attended the Boys and Girls Clubs of America announcement in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday (November 30).
The ?Wedding Planner? babe looked fabulous in a designer dress and heels as she gracefully posed for pictures at the Nokia Theatre alongside Denzel Washington and Mario Lopez.
The announcement commemorates the 20th anniversary of the organization's name change from "Boys Clubs" to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, marking the expansion of the mission to reach all young people in need.
As the first female spokesperson, Lopez joins Washington who has served as the national spokesperson for the BGCA since 1992.
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| | Denzel Washington: Boys Girls Club Promoter | | Added 14 years ago | Source: Celebrity Gossip |
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He?s one of the most successful actors in Hollywood and Denzel Washington is singing the praises of the Boys & Girls Club, an organization that helped him when he was growing up.
Earlier today, the ?Man on Fire? actor was in Washington DC to help launch a new national program called Be Great: Graduate.
Denzel told press, "Our goal is simple to state but hard to achieve. We want to help every Boys & Girls Club member advance to the next grade level every year and graduate from high school on time, prepared with the attitude, knowledge and confidence to succeed and achieve."
Thinking back to his own childhood, Washington recalled, "the club staff motivated us to dream big and take our education seriously. Kids today need that ... more than ever."
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| | Denzel Washington Debuts in 'August Wilson's Fences' | | Added 15 years ago | Source: Celebrity Gossip |
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Trading in his usual movie set gig for the stage, Denzel Washington was at the Cort Theatre in New York City for the opening night of his new play ?August Wilson?s Fences? last night (April 26).
The ?Training Day? hunk joined costars Viola Davis and Stephen McKinley Henderson in the Broadway production, celebrating a successful first night.
After the show, Denzel and his cohorts ventured over to the Cellar Bar at the Bryant Park Hotel for a swanky after party.
Mr. Washington posed for the paparazzi in a black ballcap, black jacket, and jeans before enjoying a relaxing evening inside.
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| | Um, Denzel, it hasn't started yet | | Added 16 years ago | Source: The Blemish |
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According to Stargazing, Denzel Washington showed up a little early for the inauguration. Like, when no one was there. The security guards probably didn’t have the heart to tell him it was January 21. Click the pic for a larger version.
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