“Listen, motherf–ker, this is my show”: Denzel Washington’s Old School Directing Clashed With Grey’s Anatomy Star, Called Him Out for Refusing to Improvise a Scene
Denzel Washington and Ellen Pompeo had a short argument while the former directed an episode as a guest director for The Grey’s Anatomy. During the critically acclaimed movie Antwone Fisher, he made his debut as a filmmaker in 2002.
Washington’s most recent directorial effort was A Journal For Jordan in 2021, based on the book by former New York Times editor Dana Canedy about her fiance, who fought and died in Iraq, and the journal of life lessons he left their baby son. Washington attributed his directorial success to some of the greatest directors he admires such as Paul Thomas Anderson, Steve McQueen, and Ethan Coen.
Denzel Washington Addresses Grey’s Anatomy Incident With Ellen Pompeo
During a previous episode of her podcast, Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo, the actress recalled a heated exchange between herself and the Oscar winner, who directed an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. The two-time Oscar winner, Denzel Washington, directed a 2016 episode of Grey’s Anatomy titled “The Sound of Silence,” in which Pompeo’s character had her jaw broken by an epileptic patient.
Pompeo said, “Denzel went HAM on my ass,” as she attempted to improvise the scene. Pompeo recalled Washington telling her, “I’m the director. Don’t you tell him what to do?” To much surprise, the instruction did not go well with Pompeo and in response, she told Washington, “And I was like, ‘Listen, moth**fucker, this is my show. This is my set. Who are you telling?’ Like, ‘You barely know where the bathroom is.'”
When asked about the incident during Washington’s interview with Variety, he sidestepped the question. “No, no,” he says, claiming that he doesn’t recall that day. Then, with a slight grin, he adds, “But it’s all good.” As time heals all wounds on and off set, the two actors set buried their little incident and share a great bond.
Denzel Washington’s Journey As A Director
Denzel Washington the actor has some 60 films under his belt, plus two Oscars, and at 66 is universally regarded as one of the all-time greats. He is not just one of the best actors alive but also an equally talented director.
While directing A Journal for Jordan, a tearjerker drama from Sony Pictures, Washington said he took a master class. This is the fourth feature that Washington has directed — after 2002’s Antwone Fisher, 2007’s The Great Debaters and 2016’s Fences — but it’s the first time he hasn’t pulled double duty as an actor.
While talking about his acting and directing experiences with Variety, Washington added, “In fact, I never enjoyed headlining and directing. I acted in the movies because I needed to in order to get the money to direct them. So now, for me, this feels like the first film I’ve directed, because I’m not in it. That’s the way I prefer it.” Today, Washington serves as an example for young actors and filmmakers, encouraging them to persevere in pursuing their goals.
Source: Variety
