The Real Reason Denzel Washington Turns Down So Many Roles

“There’s definitely room for some improvement on the administrative side,” Denzel Washington said in a recent interview with The Talks. He, just as much as anyone, realizes the unfortunate habits that the Hollywood machine instantly falls into whenever they get a whiff of success. Generally speaking, Washington feels, Hollywood executives can be horrendously uncreative when it comes to genres, and especially actors. “I don’t think there is a system,” he said. “It’s a bunch of people scrambling trying to get rich. That’s all it is. […] ‘Hey, if Joe Black suddenly makes us 100 million, find me 10 more Joe Blacks.’ I think that’s the nature of the business.” 

Washington then opined, with a definite note of bitterness, that 70-year-old actors are still paired with 25-year-old female love interests. Also that no major studio has yet had a Black president. Too many modern movies, he feels, are told from a very specific — that is: male and white — perspective. 

Washington also noted that, as an actor, he constantly teeters on the brink of being typecast, something he has fought hard to curtail. The actor has always remained sharply aware of the dangers of “just taking a job,” feeling that another paycheck isn’t worth compromising a career of integrity. Despite this, Washington was able to recognize a few times in his career when he started getting certain types of scripts over and over, sometimes making selections that painted him in a corner. 

Following some advice from a Hollywood legend, however, Washington learned a valuable lesson: it’s okay to say “No.” 

Washington felt that he fell into two traps when selecting projects, saying: 

“First I was Biography Man. ‘Steve Biko? Get Biography Man! Malcolm X? Biography Man! “Remember the Titans?” Biography Man! “Hurricane?” Get Biography Man!’ Then all of a sudden somebody slipped up and sent them ‘Training Day.’ ‘Bad Guy Man! Get Bad Guy Man!’ I think that’s just the nature of the business.”

Steve Biko was the character Washington played in Richard Attenborough’s “Cry Freedom,” a role for which he received his first Academy Award nomination. 

As we all know, Hollywood executives largely only know how to imitate previous successes, so when one type of film is a hit, or a certain star proves to be a box office draw, casting directors will immediately begin recreating those elements as closely as possible. Because Washington knew this, he knew it was healthy to wait for roles he wanted. And luckily, he acquired enough clout in Hollywood to afford to be able to wait. His patience, he also said, can be attributed to advice from the great Sidney Poitier. Washington said: 

“My career is based on saying no. Sidney Poitier told me many, many years ago that the first four or five movies that you do will determine how you’re perceived in the business. So I was very blessed that the second movie I did was with Norman Jewison, the third movie I did was with Sidney Lumet, and the fourth movie I did was ‘Cry Freedom’ […]. I was off to the races. There were other movies that I could have done and I didn’t do.”

Washington’s second movie was the 1984 Best Picture nominee “A Soldier’s Story,” and his third was the Richard Gere vehicle “Power.” He was wise to work with established directors. These days, Washington advises young actors to be patient. One can refine one’s craft on the stage, waiting for film opportunities to arise. “You don’t have to compromise,” he said. “Go do some theater and wait.”