Denzel Washington, one of the most renowned actors of his generation, has made several unconventional refusals during his career.
Denzel Washington, starring in The Equalizer 2 airing tonight on Channel 4, holds significant influence in Hollywood, often having his requests honored by production crews. Washington has notably refused to participate in on-screen kissing scenes with certain women, including Hollywood star Julia Roberts.
Washington’s reluctance to film these scenes dates back to a movie he watched more than three decades ago, rather than stemming from personal conflicts or modest preferences.
Washington made his Hollywood debut in the early 1980s and gained international recognition for his role in A Soldier’s Story. Throughout the decade, he steadily built his career, culminating in an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1989 for his performance in Glory.
In 1989, Denzel Washington portrayed a distinguished British soldier in The Mighty Quinn, which caused a stir among audiences. Washington starred alongside Mimi Rogers in the thriller, and one scene depicting them kissing reportedly elicited negative reactions from some black women in the audience during a screening. In response, Washington arranged for the kissing scene to be removed from the film.
Four years later, Washington co-starred with acclaimed actress Julia Roberts in The Pelican Brief. Reports circulated upon the film’s release that a kissing scene between the two stars had been cut, although the decision-maker remained unclear at the time.
In a 2002 interview with Newsweek, Roberts revealed that it was Washington’s choice to remove the scene. When asked about it, she humorously remarked, “Don’t I have a pulse? Naturally, I wanted to kiss Denzel. It was his idea to remove the scenes.”
Washington explained to the publication that his fan base, particularly composed of black women, was crucial to him, and he wanted to avoid potentially alienating them by portraying kissing scenes with white actresses like Roberts.
“Black women are not often seen as objects of desire on film,” he explains, “but they have always been my core audience.”
Throughout his career, Denzel Washington has reportedly adhered to this belief, purportedly cutting other intimate scenes from later films as well. Allegedly, both the 1995 sci-fi film Virtuosity and the 2004 thriller Man on Fire initially included intimate scenes between Washington and his co-stars Kelly Lynch and Radha Mitchell, which were later removed. It remains unclear if Washington directly influenced these decisions.
Despite achieving global fame and iconic status in the film industry, acting was not Denzel Washington’s initial career choice. He initially pursued various paths, attending college with aspirations to become a doctor but struggling to find interest in biology classes. He then switched to political science and later journalism, still searching for his passion. Eventually, he enrolled in an acting class after being told it was an easy way to earn a good grade.
Washington, the son of a Pentecostal preacher, never seriously considered following in his father’s footsteps as a preacher. However, Ruth Green, a respected member of his mother’s church known for her prophetic gift, prophesied that he would “speak to millions” and “accomplish great things.”
At the time, Denzel Washington interpreted Ruth Green’s prophecy as a call to follow in his father’s footsteps. However, he later realized, “Since I’ve been given this ability to act, this must be what Ruth Green was talking about.”
Though it took him longer than some other actors to discover his passion for acting, Washington was able to explore a range of potential careers through his acting roles. He portrayed a doctor in the series St. Elsewhere, political activist Stephen Biko in Cry Freedom, and famously took on the role of Malcolm X, which became iconic in his career.