$40M Rich Star Wars Actor Pushed Denzel Washington to Change His Career Just Like Dwayne Johnson
The larger-than-life stardom of Denzel Washington needs no description. The American actor’s choice of projects speaks volumes about his acting prowess. The Training Day actor is known for his down-to-earth behavior in the world of entertainment.
During an interview with a media outlet, Denzel Washington spoke about his life and what inspired him to become an actor.
How James Earl Jones Inspired Denzel Washington To Become An Actor?
The 91-year-old Star Wars actor James Earl Jones is one of the best talents ever produced by Hollywood. His work comes under one of the most critically acclaimed projects in the world of entertainment. The actor is responsible for inspiring one of the greatest actors of all time, Denzel Washington.
During an interview with a reputed chat show host Oprah, Denzel Washington spoke about his movie The Taking of Pelham 123 and even confessed what inspired him to become an actor. He said-
“Not so much, because my background is in theater, and in the 1970s, I didn’t see anyone I wanted to be like; other than Sidney Poitier, there weren’t many African-American film stars. As a kid, I’d wanted to be a football player,”
He further added-
“Then, after I got into theater at age 20, I saw James Earl Jones do Oedipus the King at St. John the Divine on 112th Street in Manhattan, and I was like, Wow. I sneaked into his dressing room and looked at his props and his rings while he was meeting people. I thought, ‘One day I’ll make $650 a week and work on Broadway.’ It was never my master plan to go to Hollywood.”
Denzel Washington is reportedly collaborating with legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2. The actor and director duo are coming back after a long time for the magnum opus project of Ridley Scott.
Denzel Washington Hates The Label Of An A-Lister
Despite being a megastar, Denzel Washington hates the label of an A-lister. His critically praised projects have helped him become one of the greatest actors in Hollywood. He is known for his simple behavior and dislikes the celebrity status associated with him. During an interview with the famous media personality Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington opened up on how he feels about being one of the A-listers from Hollywood. He said-
“Titles have nothing to do with me. That’s not who I am. It’s like the term “movie star”: What does that mean? It’s just a label they give you until they replace it with another one: “has-been.” I don’t claim either.”
Oprah went on to ask if not an actor, then who are you actually, to which the actor replied-
“First, I’m a human being. I love my work, but acting is what I do; it’s not my identity. I love the way Julia Roberts put it: “I’m just an ordinary person who has an extraordinary job.”
Denzel Washington has won multiple accolades for his performance in reputed projects like Training Day, Philadelphia, Fences, American Gangster, and The Pelican Brief.
Source: Oprah
