The Equalizer Star Denzel Washington Doesn’t Believe in Being the “Movie star”, Calls it Just a Label
Whenever we talk about great acting with down-to-earth behavior, Denzel Washington tops the charts. With a dedicated fan base around the world, the American actor has been a part of multiple critically acclaimed projects over the years.
With an acting career that spans over a period of multiple decades, Denzel Washington is a superstar. The actor has never liked the label of a movie star because he believes that above everything he is just a human being.
Denzel Washington Hates Being Called A Movie Star
Despite having a mammoth fan following Denzel Washington hates being called a movie star. He is quite known for his simple behavior and feels that titles like movie stars do not affect him and are just mere labels. During an interview with Oprah, the actor spoke about being labeled as a movie star. 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.”
The Taking of Pelham 123 actor further mentioned-
“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.”
On being asked about his celebrity status, Denzel Washington said-
“I ask, What am I going to do with what I have? I can’t take anything with me. You know the saying: You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.”
Denzel Washington’s movies like Philadelphia, Training Day, and American Gangster come under the category of critically and commercially hit projects in Hollywood.
Denzel Washington Was Inspired By Legendary Actor James Earl Jones To Become An Actor
Despite disliking the tag of a movie star, Denzel Washington was never supposed to become an actor. But a legendary Star Wars actor inspired him to enter the world of lights, action, and camera and the rest is history. During an interview with Oprah, The Pelican Brief actor spoke about actor James Earl Jones and how he inspired him. 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 even mentioned-
“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.”
Thanks to the legendary star James Earl Jones otherwise the world could not have witnessed the talent of Denzel Washington. He is reportedly collaborating with Ridley Scott after a long time for the direct sequel of Gladiator.
Source: Oprah
