Mar 24, 2025 02:49 PM IST
In a recent interview, actor Denzel Washington rejected the Hollywood label and emphasised his theater roots over the film industry.
American actor Denzel Washington has built an illustrious career in the film industry, earning critical acclaim and commercial success over several decades. However, despite his achievements in Hollywood, the 70-year-old actor remains deeply connected to his roots in Mount Vernon, New York, and does not identify himself as a typical “Hollywood actor.”
During an interview on CBS Sunday Morning, Denzel, who has been part of iconic films such as Training Day, Malcom X and Philadelphia, dismissed the notion of being labeled a Hollywood star, emphasising his hometown identity instead. He stated, “What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor? Myself, I’m from Mount Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mount Vernon actor.’ I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means.”
Beyond his extensive film career, Denzel has always maintained a strong foundation in theatre, which he considers his primary artistic medium. He elaborated on this perspective by explaining, “I’m a stage actor who does film. It’s not the other way around. I did stage first. I learned how to act on stage, not on film.”
He further highlighted the fundamental difference between acting in movies and performing on stage, pointing out that cinema is predominantly a director’s medium, while theatre remains an actor’s domain. “Movies are a filmmaker’s medium. You shoot it, and then you’re gone, and they cut together and add music and do all of that. Theatre is an actor’s medium. The curtain goes up, nobody can help you.”
Currently, Denzel is captivating audiences on Broadway with his portrayal of the titular character in Othello, one of William Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedies. The production also features Jake Gyllenhaal in the role of Iago, Othello’s manipulative adversary. This adaptation of Othello has already proven to be a major success, earning over $2.8 million in a single week, demonstrating the enduring appeal of Shakespeare’s work and the star power of its leading actors.
