Spike Lee nailed it, all right — Denzel Washington got game. Mad game. He’s a prime-time playa in a league all his own. The two-time Academy Award winner boasts a film resume that ranks among the all-time best — “Glory,” “Philadelphia,” “Cry Freedom,” “The Hurricane,” “Remember The Titans” and “Training Day” just to name a few. “Crimson Tide,” “Mo’ Better Blues,” and “Antwone Fisher” to name a few more.
He’s gone toe-to-toe with Hackman, Hawke and Crowe, and heart-to-heart with Julia, Whitney and Eva Mendes. If they were handing out awards and money to people who are great at pretending to be people they’re not, Denzel would have more than a fair share of both … actually, they do, and he does. His latest effort is the turbulent thriller “Out Of Time,” which reunites him with “Devil In A Blue Dress” director Carl Franklin, and his “Training Day” co-star, Mendes. Washington sat down recently to give the press some stuff to print.
Q: Your character in “Out Of Time” gives into temptation, and it lands him in a world of trouble. You, on the other hand, seem to be one of Hollywood’s model citizens. I can’t ever recall seeing any dirt about you splattered in the tabloids. Are you immune to temptation?
715,DW: Nobody’s immune to temptation. C’mon. I’m a human being like everybody else. And I don’t read the tabloids... what do they say about me?
Q: They say you’re a good guy.
DW: Well, they hail you then they nail you, don’t they? So sooner or later, they’ll be coming my way.
Q: Are you trying to tell us that you aren’t as infallible as you’re made out to be?
DW: You know, I am an actor and a human being. People can say I’m the greatest thing ever, but I’m like, hey, don’t put that on me. You don’t know me. You know the parts I played. I played Steven Biko. I’m not Steven Biko. I played Malcolm X. I’m not Malcolm X. I love my family. Family’s first, and that’s it.
Q: Let’s talk about your steamy love scene with Sanaa Lathan.
DW: Why aren’t they called love scenes anymore?... Because there wasn’t any love involved, I guess.
Q: How does your wife respond when she sees you getting busy onscreen with a beautiful actress?
DW: When we did “Mississippi Masala,” I made the mistake of not showing her the film beforehand, and we went to the premiere … and that wasn’t a good day. (laughs) I guess she feels that she should know what’s going on before people (in the audience) are snickering, or whatever their response is. So I told her what was going on in this film, and she saw it early on.
Q: You’ve got a reputation for giving relatively unknown actors, writers and directors their first big shot. Why do you go out of your way to open the door for newcomers, while so many other stars of your stature tend to want to work only with other big shots?
DW: I just like to see young people do well. Nothing makes me happier than to see Derek Luke (“Antwone Fisher”) walking around a year later in suits that are more expensive than mine. And seeing Sanaa and Eva and Dean Cain do well — that makes me happy.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 3, 2003. Read the original PDF.