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- You know, that's the thing I'm proud of,

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Downloaded from
YTS.MX

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most proud of about this film,

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is that it made young people, Black and White,

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and other colors too,

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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX

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think about their history in this country,

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and what has happened, how they've been mis-educated,

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and to go and learn things for themselves.

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I'm real proud of that fact.

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[gentle music]

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- [Narrator] Not too far from New York City

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lies the integrated middle
class suburb of Mount Vernon.

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There, on December 28th, 1954, a star was born.

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[gentle music]

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His name, Denzel Washington Jr.

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- Who is Denzel Washington?

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Denzel Washington is the
leading actor of the 21st century,

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according to the New York Times,

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leading Hollywood actor of the 21st century.

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- [Reporter] If you could choose your future,

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where do you see yourself being in 20 years,

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and what kind of work do you think

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you'll have accomplished by then?

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- Oh, 20 years from now,

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I think I would like to see myself making films,

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[gentle music]

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as a director, possibly as a producer, possibly,

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but having more control over the product

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that I'm involved with.

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You heard it here live, I should stick with acting.

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News at 11.

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- [Narrator] He was born into a hardworking

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and religious family.

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His father worked two jobs during the week,

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leaving hours before the kids woke up

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and returning after they were asleep,

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all to ensure that his children were raised

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in a financially secure environment.

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On Sundays, he was a Pentecostal minister

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who preached to his church with a passionate flare.

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Denzel's mother, Lennis, worked as a beautician

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and owned several beauty shops.

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She was a strict but loving mother

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who sang in the church choir.

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Denzel was the second of three children,

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and they were all raised with church and hard work

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at the forefront of their lives,

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so much so that his father only allowed the kids

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to see movies with biblical themes.

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- My father was a minister in the church.

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I grew up in the church.

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We weren't allowed to go to the movies.

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We saw "King of Kings," "10 Commandments."

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[gentle music]

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That might've been about it.

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So I didn't grow up really watching westerns.

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We had a television show in America, Bonanza.

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I got to see that, but I never went to the movies.

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- He always said that his
parents were sort of mismatched,

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that his mother was a woman of a city

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and his father was a man of the country,

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who was much more innocent than she was.

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I think what they had in common

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was they were both very religious.

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So his father was a Pentecostal minister,

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and his mother was religious as well.

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And he grew up going to church every Sunday,

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at least every Sunday,

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and has carried through his religious belief

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throughout his life.

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And I think it accounts for

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some of his moral sense as an actor,

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and his sense that in most of the films he plays,

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he plays someone who is on the side of good.

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And he said that this was his career goal,

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to play characters who brought
something good to the world.

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- [Narrator] But when you grow up

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just a few streets from the Bronx,

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a place where only a few kids went to college

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and many more ended up in trouble,

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there's only so much sheltering a parent can do.

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[gentle music]

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Denzel's father was rarely around

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to give his son a pat on the
back after a successful game,

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as he was usually too busy at work, or at his church.

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In order to create a safe haven while they worked,

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the Washingtons sent six-year-old Denzel

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and his brother, David,

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to the Boys and Girls Club after school.

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The Boys and Girls Club became
Denzel's home away from home.

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There, he was encouraged to play sports

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and enjoy the company of other children.

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By the time he was 11,

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to keep out of mischief and
to help the family's finances,

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Denzel joined the workforce with part-time jobs

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at neighborhood beauty and barbershops.

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Ironic, as Denzel claimed

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to rarely have had his hair
cut professionally as a child.

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But as Denzel entered his teens,

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his strong family foundation started to crumble

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with the news of his parents separating.

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His father moved to Virginia,

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although he continued to stay in touch with his son.

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Denzel remained with his mother in New York,

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strengthening their tight bond.

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But the loss of his father left Denzel confused,

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and he began showing signs that he might join

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the bad boys of the neighborhood

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that his parents tried so hard to keep him away from.

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He rebelled violently,

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and began getting into fights at school.

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Concerned for his future,
Denzel's mother sent him away

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to the Oakland Academy Boarding School

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to straighten him out.

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It was a prep school

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made up of mostly rich White kids in upstate New York.

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- He ended up attending a military school,

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which was quite a different environment, I think,

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from how a lot of actors spend their early years,

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but also I think probably helped instill

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this real discipline within him

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that we see throughout his career as an actor.

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- [Narrator] Denzel was mediocre at academics,

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but excelled at sports.

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He was a talented athlete with great coordination,

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and dreamed of becoming a famous sports star.

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But many of his friends thought he'd probably

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grow up to be a comedian.

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He was known to be a prankster,

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fool around and bring joy to his peers,

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a trait which he held onto as he aged.

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But underneath his funny facade

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was a kid who was actually shy and self-conscious

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about a gap in his front teeth.

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During his boarding school years,

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Denzel returned each summer to Mount Vernon

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to work at the Boys and Girls Club,

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doing for the kids what was once done for him.

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[upbeat music]

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In 1972, he enrolled at
Fordham University in the Bronx.

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He tried pre-med courses to please his mother,

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who wanted him to be a doctor,

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but he couldn't handle the curriculum

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and switched to journalism.

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But that also failed to ignite his passion.

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Finally, he found his true purpose

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when he took part in a theater production

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while working at a YMCA summer camp.

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Denzel returned to college
that year with a new purpose,

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to be the best actor in the world.

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(rousing music)

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He devoted himself to learning his new craft,

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and decided to transfer to
Fordham's theater arts wing

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in Manhattan in his senior year.

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In his senior year, Denzel landed the lead

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in a Fordham production of "Othello."

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His performance proved he had enormous talent,

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and this was to be the role to change his life.

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- Denzel's career began at Fordham University,

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where initially he wasn't studying acting.

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He had got in with the intention

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of doing something completely different.

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And he ended up taking some classes

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and becoming involved in the drama department,

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and developing this real
passion and interest for it.

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And he decided to change his degree.

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And from then on, it was kind of off to the races for him.

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I think that once he had decided

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that was something that he wanted to pursue,

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he really took to it in a very strong manner.

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- [Narrator] He was quickly noticed by several agents,

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and was eventually signed
to play the role of the husband

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to Olympic gold medalist, Wilma Rudolph,

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in the 1977 television movie "Wilma."

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- No, I never wanted to go out with no other girls.

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[dramatic music]

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Not steady.

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- That's okay.

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You know why?

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- No.

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- 'Cause I think we're something special.

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- [Narrator] This was Denzel's
first professional break.

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Denzel landed the role

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while he was still a senior at Fordham.

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And it was during the filming of "Wilma"

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that a pretty young actress caught his eye on set

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and the pair quickly became friends.

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Her name, Pauletta Pearson.

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She had a small part in the production,

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but would go on to have an
enormous part in Denzel's life.

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Denzel graduated with a double degree

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in journalism and drama,

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and managed to get into the prestigious

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American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

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But after only a year,

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he left to test his luck in Hollywood.

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He arrived with just $30 in his pocket,

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and moved in with some
relatives while he looked for work.

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The Urban League found him a job as an acting teacher

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at a small private school,

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but what he really wanted was to perform.

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Denzel returned home to New
York where money was meager,

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but work was abundant in Black theater companies.

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Soon after, he began dating Pauletta,

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the woman he met while filming "Wilma."

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Pauletta Pearson was an accomplished pianist,

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singer, and actress,

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and within a year, they shared
an apartment in Mount Vernon.

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Pauletta encouraged Denzel in his acting pursuits,

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and he drew a tremendous deal of strength from her.

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[soft music]

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After a successful string of roles,

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Denzel hit a six month dry spell.

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This meant no work and no money.

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Acting may have fed his soul,

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but his stomach and the bills
weren't so well replenished.

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By 1979, he had enjoyed a brief taste of success.

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He was living in his hometown, Mount Vernon,

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in an apartment he shared
with his girlfriend, Pauletta.

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Pauletta became a partner in his career.

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She had been a child prodigy.

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By the age of nine, she had performed

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as a concert pianist around the world,

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and now she put her career on hold

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and worked to support them both

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while he looked for acting jobs.

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It was an uneasy time.

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Denzel was ready to quit acting.

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He got a job at the County Department of Recreation,

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but Pauletta wouldn't let him give up on his dreams.

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[soft instrumental music]

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Just a week before he was
supposed to begin his new job,

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he found out he had won the role of Malcolm X

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in an off-Broadway production,

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"When Chickens Come Home to Roost."

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It paid $125 per week.

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Denzel immersed himself in the role.

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He listened to Malcolm X's speeches,

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read his books, and even dyed his hair red.

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- But why do you have to be so (indistinct)?

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It looked like the chickens have come home to roost.

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What is that? A joke, humor, Black humor?

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[soft instrumental music]

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For now the nation of Islam

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is associated with it through you.

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Do you have any idea of the possible recrimination?

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- There won't be any recriminations.

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Now, what I had said was morally straight,

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and sympathetic, to them and to us.

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- [Narrator] He did an enormous amount of research

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to get ready to play the role,
a practice which he continued

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throughout the rest of his career.

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Denzel's success at playing Malcolm X

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led to another off-Broadway role in "A Soldier's Play."

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Critics praised his performance

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as a hotheaded army private, and Denzel won an Obie,

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an off-Broadway equivalent of a Tony Award.

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Success led to more success.

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00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:34,218
And after several triumphant stage performances

261
00:11:34,260 --> 00:11:36,048
in California and New York,

262
00:11:36,090 --> 00:11:38,005
he made his screen debut in the comedy,

263
00:11:38,047 --> 00:11:40,068
"Carbon Copy," in 1981,

264
00:11:40,110 --> 00:11:43,488
playing the long lost son of George Segal.

265
00:11:43,530 --> 00:11:46,278
- My, what a fine looking boy.

266
00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,398
You were right, Walter. I was worried over nothing.

267
00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:51,468
You're just in time for dinner.

268
00:11:51,510 --> 00:11:54,888
Walter, will you tell Maryanne
that we're expecting her?

269
00:11:54,930 --> 00:11:55,763
Roger?

270
00:11:57,660 --> 00:11:59,238
We're having chicken for dinner.

271
00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:00,408
- I just love chicken, ma'am.

272
00:12:00,450 --> 00:12:01,531
- I know you do.

273
00:12:01,573 --> 00:12:04,458
I had Bianca prepare especially for you.

274
00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:06,048
- [Narrator] Denzel welcomed the challenge,

275
00:12:06,090 --> 00:12:09,063
as well, the substantial
money that the film role offered.

276
00:12:10,350 --> 00:12:13,008
By now, Hollywood was beginning to take notice

277
00:12:13,050 --> 00:12:14,688
of this rising star.

278
00:12:14,730 --> 00:12:16,848
But the studio had noticed a prominent gap

279
00:12:16,890 --> 00:12:19,878
in his front teeth, and asked him to get it fixed.

280
00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,388
Much to Denzel's surprise,
they paid for his dental work,

281
00:12:23,430 --> 00:12:26,688
and there he got his first taste of star treatment.

282
00:12:26,730 --> 00:12:27,843
- High hopes.

283
00:12:30,180 --> 00:12:32,058
I'm just here for the party.

284
00:12:32,100 --> 00:12:34,518
- [Narrator] He first began
to receive national attention

285
00:12:34,560 --> 00:12:37,398
for his work on the television drama "St. Elsewhere."

286
00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,548
The television producer saw Denzel in "Carbon Copy"

287
00:12:40,590 --> 00:12:42,378
and "The Soldier's Play,"

288
00:12:42,420 --> 00:12:44,374
and wanted to cast him as Dr. Chandler.

289
00:12:44,416 --> 00:12:47,388
(uplifting music)

290
00:12:47,430 --> 00:12:49,608
Thinking the stage was his true home,

291
00:12:49,650 --> 00:12:51,828
Denzel almost turned down the role,

292
00:12:51,870 --> 00:12:53,939
but the money was just too good to pass up.

293
00:12:53,981 --> 00:12:55,915
[jazz music]

294
00:12:55,957 --> 00:12:59,388
"Saint Elsewhere" broke
the mold of serial television.

295
00:12:59,430 --> 00:13:02,658
Set in an aging hospital with financial woes,

296
00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:05,628
the ensemble cast and controversial storylines

297
00:13:05,670 --> 00:13:08,358
were revolutionary for television.

298
00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,668
Although the show was never a huge success

299
00:13:10,710 --> 00:13:13,413
in terms of ratings, the critics loved it.

300
00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,928
- So "St. Elsewhere" was a popular American

301
00:13:20,970 --> 00:13:25,278
medical comedy drama, and it followed the lives

302
00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,278
of doctors, and nurses, and patients

303
00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,798
at this medical facility,

304
00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,418
and that's where Denzel got his big break.

305
00:13:34,460 --> 00:13:37,998
- [Narrator] In 1982, during "St. Elsewhere's" first season,

306
00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:41,148
Denzel and Pauletta moved to Los Angeles.

307
00:13:41,190 --> 00:13:43,848
The success of the show
ended their financial struggles.

308
00:13:43,890 --> 00:13:47,688
And after four years together,
the couple married in 1983

309
00:13:47,730 --> 00:13:51,648
and had their first child, John David, a year later.

310
00:13:51,690 --> 00:13:53,808
They bought their first million dollar home

311
00:13:53,850 --> 00:13:55,608
in an exclusive suburb,

312
00:13:55,650 --> 00:13:58,998
and soon after, the Washingtons had a second child,

313
00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:00,888
daughter Katia.

314
00:14:00,930 --> 00:14:05,058
In 1983, Denzel was given a
brief leave from "St. Elsewhere"

315
00:14:05,100 --> 00:14:06,828
to act in a film.

316
00:14:06,870 --> 00:14:10,038
Director Norman Jewison had seen him off Broadway,

317
00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:11,958
and wanted him to reprise his role

318
00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,468
as the brash young army private in "A Soldier's Story,"

319
00:14:15,510 --> 00:14:17,418
a film version of the play.

320
00:14:17,460 --> 00:14:19,452
He felt lucky to get such a quality role.

321
00:14:19,494 --> 00:14:20,838
[jazz music]

322
00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:22,578
Once filming was completed,

323
00:14:22,620 --> 00:14:24,708
Denzel returned to "St. Elsewhere."

324
00:14:24,750 --> 00:14:27,858
The show won 12 Emmys during its six year run,

325
00:14:27,900 --> 00:14:31,488
and Denzel was earning $30,000 per episode.

326
00:14:31,530 --> 00:14:33,198
His financial success allowed him

327
00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,140
to be selective in choosing his roles.

328
00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,528
- He really was able to kind of
show how charismatic he was,

329
00:14:39,570 --> 00:14:40,668
and how charming,

330
00:14:40,710 --> 00:14:43,696
and bring a lot of gravitas to this medical show

331
00:14:43,738 --> 00:14:47,028
that I think really developed a fondness

332
00:14:47,070 --> 00:14:52,070
between audiences and him, and set him up as someone

333
00:14:52,230 --> 00:14:55,563
that was developing a real
following within the industry.

334
00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,188
- [Narrator] Now a recognizable
television and film star,

335
00:15:01,230 --> 00:15:03,738
Denzel found roles with integrity.

336
00:15:03,780 --> 00:15:06,858
He portrayed an inspiring
real-life inner city teacher

337
00:15:06,900 --> 00:15:09,288
in a television movie, "The George McKenna Story,"

338
00:15:09,330 --> 00:15:11,208
alongside Lynn Whitfield.

339
00:15:11,250 --> 00:15:13,908
Not long after, in 1986,

340
00:15:13,950 --> 00:15:16,623
a once in a lifetime role came Denzel's way.

341
00:15:18,750 --> 00:15:21,498
Director Richard Attenborough
wanted him to portray

342
00:15:21,540 --> 00:15:24,498
the South African activist Stephen Biko

343
00:15:24,540 --> 00:15:26,067
in the film "Cry Freedom."

344
00:15:27,060 --> 00:15:30,798
- One of Denzel Washington's really early key roles

345
00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:32,418
was playing Steve Biko,

346
00:15:32,460 --> 00:15:35,298
the anti-apartheid activist in South Africa.

347
00:15:35,340 --> 00:15:38,628
And he is, of course, killed within the story.

348
00:15:38,670 --> 00:15:42,018
And so, it sets up his career

349
00:15:42,060 --> 00:15:44,958
in a direction that it will go for many, many years,

350
00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,408
in which he is the kind of moral center of the story.

351
00:15:48,450 --> 00:15:50,568
His death stands for

352
00:15:50,610 --> 00:15:54,648
all of the crimes and injustice of apartheid.

353
00:15:54,690 --> 00:15:56,418
So it was a really important role

354
00:15:56,460 --> 00:15:58,348
in establishing his star persona.

355
00:15:58,390 --> 00:15:59,448
[soft instrumental music]

356
00:15:59,490 --> 00:16:00,618
- [Narrator] To play Biko,

357
00:16:00,660 --> 00:16:04,008
he removed the caps from his teeth, gained 30 pounds,

358
00:16:04,050 --> 00:16:06,888
grew a goatee, and studied
all the material he could find

359
00:16:06,930 --> 00:16:08,730
about the real life freedom fighter.

360
00:16:09,570 --> 00:16:12,168
The role offered him the incomparable experience

361
00:16:12,210 --> 00:16:15,003
of shooting in Tanzania and Zimbabwe in Africa.

362
00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:19,638
Denzel was reportedly disappointed

363
00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,588
that several of his impassioned speeches

364
00:16:21,630 --> 00:16:22,833
were cut from the film,

365
00:16:23,790 --> 00:16:25,578
but what remained was compelling enough

366
00:16:25,620 --> 00:16:29,718
to prompt actor Dustin Hoffman to send Denzel a note,

367
00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,288
which read simply, "What grace."

368
00:16:33,330 --> 00:16:35,388
Denzel believed that the film

369
00:16:35,430 --> 00:16:37,128
would also help to raise awareness

370
00:16:37,170 --> 00:16:40,435
for racial and social issues in the United States.

371
00:16:40,477 --> 00:16:43,098
- "Cry Freedom" was filmed by Richard Attenborough,

372
00:16:43,140 --> 00:16:45,798
who is regarded as one of the great

373
00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:47,298
filmmakers of his generation,

374
00:16:47,340 --> 00:16:50,298
and it wasn't that long after

375
00:16:50,340 --> 00:16:52,758
the death of Martin Luther King.

376
00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:57,048
And this was something that would become

377
00:16:57,090 --> 00:17:00,738
a kind of hallmark of Denzel's career.

378
00:17:00,780 --> 00:17:03,753
- [Reporter] Being involved in a film like "Cry Freedom"

379
00:17:05,130 --> 00:17:08,058
will make the public very
aware of the terrible inequities

380
00:17:08,100 --> 00:17:10,293
that still exist in South Africa.

381
00:17:11,250 --> 00:17:12,378
What about the inequities

382
00:17:12,420 --> 00:17:14,047
that still exist in the United States?

383
00:17:14,089 --> 00:17:16,758
Do you sense that this sort of takes the spotlight

384
00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,818
off of problems that are still within our society?

385
00:17:19,860 --> 00:17:21,108
- You mean racial problems? - Yeah.

386
00:17:21,150 --> 00:17:25,188
- No, I think it'll only shine more light on it,

387
00:17:25,230 --> 00:17:26,463
the similarities.

388
00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:36,528
I think the problems here are
more subtle, more advanced.

389
00:17:36,570 --> 00:17:40,113
You know, it's not as obvious
a problem as in South Africa.

390
00:17:41,580 --> 00:17:42,738
You know, you can change laws,

391
00:17:42,780 --> 00:17:46,068
but you can't necessarily
change people's hearts and minds,

392
00:17:46,110 --> 00:17:48,498
and that only comes through time,

393
00:17:48,540 --> 00:17:52,293
and constant pressure and struggle.

394
00:17:53,310 --> 00:17:56,058
- [Narrator] He received his
first Academy Award nomination

395
00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:58,218
for best supporting actor in 1988

396
00:17:58,260 --> 00:18:00,558
due to his powerful performance.

397
00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,618
He lost to the more experienced Sean Connery,

398
00:18:03,660 --> 00:18:05,598
who won for "The Untouchables."

399
00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,778
However, Denzel did win the NAACP image award

400
00:18:08,820 --> 00:18:10,681
for his role as Steven Biko.

401
00:18:10,723 --> 00:18:12,708
[soft instrumental music]

402
00:18:12,750 --> 00:18:14,928
That same year, Denzel returned to New York

403
00:18:14,970 --> 00:18:17,688
to pursue his dream of acting on Broadway.

404
00:18:17,730 --> 00:18:20,388
He made his Broadway debut in "Checkmates."

405
00:18:20,430 --> 00:18:22,068
The play had a successful run,

406
00:18:22,110 --> 00:18:24,588
but he soon returned to Hollywood.

407
00:18:24,630 --> 00:18:27,528
Although he was recognized as a premier actor,

408
00:18:27,570 --> 00:18:29,238
there just weren't many roles available

409
00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,788
for an African American actor at the time.

410
00:18:31,830 --> 00:18:35,148
So, Denzel took a more aggressive approach,

411
00:18:35,190 --> 00:18:37,465
campaigning for roles in the British film

412
00:18:37,507 --> 00:18:39,318
"For Queen and Country,"

413
00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,078
and the lighter film, "The Mighty Quinn,"

414
00:18:42,120 --> 00:18:44,658
where he played a passionate Jamaican.

415
00:18:44,700 --> 00:18:47,478
He was happy to have found such strong roles,

416
00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:49,308
but he reportedly wasn't too pleased

417
00:18:49,350 --> 00:18:52,488
about doing the required love
scene in "The Mighty Quinn"

418
00:18:52,530 --> 00:18:54,378
with Mimi Rogers.

419
00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:58,308
Denzel did not want to
embarrass himself or his family,

420
00:18:58,350 --> 00:19:00,558
and he looked so uncomfortable on film

421
00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,198
that the scene was cut entirely.

422
00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:06,228
While each project offered Denzel new challenges,

423
00:19:06,270 --> 00:19:09,618
his greatest reward was just over the horizon.

424
00:19:09,660 --> 00:19:12,648
He was about to star in his
most significant role to date,

425
00:19:12,690 --> 00:19:14,763
and win Hollywood's biggest prize.

426
00:19:18,270 --> 00:19:22,098
By the time he was 33, Denzel
had already proven himself

427
00:19:22,140 --> 00:19:25,548
on stage, on film, and on television.

428
00:19:25,590 --> 00:19:27,078
He had an Oscar nomination

429
00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:29,598
and an NAACP award under his belt,

430
00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,388
as well as a long string of quality roles,

431
00:19:32,430 --> 00:19:34,458
despite the scarcity of such roles

432
00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:37,578
for African American actors in Hollywood.

433
00:19:37,620 --> 00:19:40,638
In 1989, Denzel made the decision

434
00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:44,598
to portray his riskiest and
most emotional role to date.

435
00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:47,088
It was a complete departure from the clean cut,

436
00:19:47,130 --> 00:19:50,058
intelligent man he had played before.

437
00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:52,668
He played a freed slave fighting in the Union Army

438
00:19:52,710 --> 00:19:55,098
in the American Civil War film "Glory."

439
00:19:55,140 --> 00:19:59,375
- In "Glory," he plays a former slave in the United States

440
00:19:59,417 --> 00:20:03,438
in the 1860s, who goes over to fight for the union,

441
00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,438
to fight for the northern side against slavery,

442
00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:10,008
and it is a very intense film

443
00:20:10,050 --> 00:20:14,598
that shows his transformation
from being a rebel slave

444
00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:15,978
to being someone who is fighting

445
00:20:16,020 --> 00:20:18,588
for the higher cause of the union,

446
00:20:18,630 --> 00:20:22,038
and he once again is the moral center of the story.

447
00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,258
Because he begins as a rebel,

448
00:20:24,300 --> 00:20:29,300
and he has to find a way of bringing himself within

449
00:20:29,377 --> 00:20:30,138
[jazz music]

450
00:20:30,180 --> 00:20:33,378
the power and the hierarchy of the Northern Army.

451
00:20:33,420 --> 00:20:35,748
At one point, he goes awol,

452
00:20:35,790 --> 00:20:40,188
and he is brought back by the army police,

453
00:20:40,230 --> 00:20:43,728
and he is whipped as a punishment,

454
00:20:43,770 --> 00:20:45,798
apparently the standard punishment for going awol.

455
00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,348
But when they take off his shirt to whip him,

456
00:20:48,390 --> 00:20:52,218
you can see that his back is already covered in scars

457
00:20:52,260 --> 00:20:54,768
from many whippings as a slave.

458
00:20:54,810 --> 00:20:56,568
And so, as he's being whipped,

459
00:20:56,610 --> 00:21:00,078
he stares at his commanding officer,

460
00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:01,758
played by Matthew Broderick,

461
00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,388
with a kind of intensity and vehemence

462
00:21:05,430 --> 00:21:08,418
that is really his trademark as an actor.

463
00:21:08,460 --> 00:21:11,088
One tear falls down his cheek,

464
00:21:11,130 --> 00:21:13,398
to convey the pain of the whipping.

465
00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,828
But otherwise, there's just this amazing intensity

466
00:21:15,870 --> 00:21:17,290
that he brings to the role

467
00:21:18,210 --> 00:21:19,408
- You may commence.

468
00:21:19,450 --> 00:21:22,117
[dramatic music]

469
00:21:27,263 --> 00:21:31,263
[dramatic music]

470
00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:36,713
Proceed.

471
00:21:38,869 --> 00:21:42,869
[soft instrumental music]

472
00:21:52,380 --> 00:21:55,713
[whip slashes cracking]

473
00:21:58,645 --> 00:22:02,645
[dramatic music]

474
00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,168
- [Narrator] Denzel brought his family

475
00:22:06,210 --> 00:22:07,848
with him on location to Georgia,

476
00:22:07,890 --> 00:22:09,828
and said it was one of the best experiences

477
00:22:09,870 --> 00:22:12,378
he had ever had making the film.

478
00:22:12,420 --> 00:22:14,748
The depth of his performance was rewarded

479
00:22:14,790 --> 00:22:17,358
on January 29th, 1990.

480
00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,238
He won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor,

481
00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,498
and in February, a nomination
for an Academy Award followed.

482
00:22:24,540 --> 00:22:27,468
- So Denzel won his first Oscar for "Glory,"

483
00:22:27,510 --> 00:22:31,458
for Best Supporting Actor,
which was his second nomination.

484
00:22:31,500 --> 00:22:35,058
He also beat out some pretty incredible performers

485
00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:36,048
to win the award.

486
00:22:36,090 --> 00:22:37,578
He beat Marlon Brando,

487
00:22:37,620 --> 00:22:40,428
and he beat Danny Aiello,

488
00:22:40,470 --> 00:22:42,588
who had started "Do the Right Thing."

489
00:22:42,630 --> 00:22:47,630
But I think the reason that
that performance won the Oscar

490
00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:51,888
is because it felt like he'd put so much of himself,

491
00:22:51,930 --> 00:22:56,930
and so much spirit and power into the performance.

492
00:22:58,650 --> 00:23:01,728
And I think that it really did feel like a win,

493
00:23:01,770 --> 00:23:04,368
that despite how young he was when he made the film,

494
00:23:04,410 --> 00:23:07,068
he was only kind of in his late 20s, early 30s,

495
00:23:07,110 --> 00:23:10,488
it was something that truly
resonated with audiences

496
00:23:10,530 --> 00:23:13,803
and felt like something new
was coming through on screen.

497
00:23:17,220 --> 00:23:19,218
- [Reporter] Well, one of the scenes

498
00:23:19,260 --> 00:23:21,048
that had to be the toughest to do,

499
00:23:21,090 --> 00:23:22,188
or maybe went through your mind,

500
00:23:22,230 --> 00:23:24,318
would be a scene where you're whipped.

501
00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:25,278
Can you talk? - Not the toughest,

502
00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:26,148
the simplest scene.

503
00:23:26,190 --> 00:23:28,968
The toughest for everyone else that day except me,

504
00:23:29,010 --> 00:23:31,008
because I knew exactly what I was doing

505
00:23:31,050 --> 00:23:32,748
and I had the spirits of all of those people

506
00:23:32,790 --> 00:23:34,848
who had been whipped for real with me.

507
00:23:34,890 --> 00:23:39,528
You know, I started acting, what, 1975.

508
00:23:39,570 --> 00:23:41,658
I was in college, my first acting class.

509
00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:43,398
The teacher went around and asked everyone

510
00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:45,648
what they wanna do, why they wanna be an actor.

511
00:23:45,690 --> 00:23:48,228
And I said, I wanna be the best actor in the world.

512
00:23:48,270 --> 00:23:50,658
And everybody went, oh, really?

513
00:23:50,700 --> 00:23:52,638
Like, who the hell does he think he is?

514
00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,368
But not only to be the best in the world.

515
00:23:55,410 --> 00:23:57,228
Who's the best, who's the best supporting actor?

516
00:23:57,270 --> 00:23:59,718
Who knows? But to be the best that I can be.

517
00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:04,128
And this feels like not a confirmation of that,

518
00:24:04,170 --> 00:24:07,368
but I know that I've been working the right way

519
00:24:07,410 --> 00:24:11,178
and trying to do the right
things, and growing as an actor.

520
00:24:11,220 --> 00:24:12,198
I want to continue to grow.

521
00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,348
I'm gonna play Richard III this summer the Park,

522
00:24:15,390 --> 00:24:17,448
and that's gonna stretch the heck outta me,

523
00:24:17,490 --> 00:24:18,708
but it's gonna teach me some lessons.

524
00:24:18,750 --> 00:24:21,303
And I may fall on my face, but I'm gonna go for it.

525
00:24:21,714 --> 00:24:23,268
[jazz music]

526
00:24:23,310 --> 00:24:24,618
- [Narrator] Following the Oscars,

527
00:24:24,660 --> 00:24:27,378
Denzel received another honor for "Glory,"

528
00:24:27,420 --> 00:24:30,648
his second NAACP Image Award.

529
00:24:30,690 --> 00:24:32,568
Not too long after the awards,

530
00:24:32,610 --> 00:24:34,758
another exciting event happened.

531
00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:37,023
Twins, Malcolm and Olivia were born.

532
00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:40,878
Washington's skill as an actor

533
00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:43,338
and his popular appeal as a leading man

534
00:24:43,380 --> 00:24:46,068
were firmly established in the 1990s.

535
00:24:46,110 --> 00:24:49,285
He gave memorable performances
in the romantic comedy

536
00:24:49,327 --> 00:24:52,638
"Mississippi Masala" in 1991,

537
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:57,258
the Shakespearean comedy
"Much Ado About Nothing" in 1993,

538
00:24:57,300 --> 00:25:01,968
and in the courtroom drama "Philadelphia" in 1993.

539
00:25:02,010 --> 00:25:04,765
Other notable roles include
the hard-boiled mystery

540
00:25:04,807 --> 00:25:07,668
"Devil in a Blue Dress" in 1995,

541
00:25:07,710 --> 00:25:11,718
and the military thriller
"Crimson Tide" in the same year.

542
00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,328
The latter was the first of several popular movies

543
00:25:14,370 --> 00:25:16,878
he made with director Tony Scott.

544
00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,488
During this time, he also frequently worked

545
00:25:19,530 --> 00:25:21,168
with the director Spike Lee,

546
00:25:21,210 --> 00:25:23,785
starring in "Mo Better Blues" in 1990,

547
00:25:23,827 --> 00:25:26,208
"He Got Game" in 1998,

548
00:25:26,250 --> 00:25:30,138
and most significantly, "Malcolm X" in 1992.

549
00:25:30,180 --> 00:25:34,175
- So "Mo Better Blues" is one of Spike Lee's earlier films.

550
00:25:34,217 --> 00:25:36,828
It came just after "Do the Right Thing,"

551
00:25:36,870 --> 00:25:39,258
which was his big breakthrough,

552
00:25:39,300 --> 00:25:41,928
which kind of launched him to the world.

553
00:25:41,970 --> 00:25:46,548
And this was his first collaboration with Denzel.

554
00:25:46,590 --> 00:25:48,905
And it was something a little bit different

555
00:25:48,947 --> 00:25:51,408
after "Do The Right Thing,"

556
00:25:51,450 --> 00:25:56,450
which is a very angry, very powder keg type film.

557
00:25:57,090 --> 00:25:59,958
And "Mo Better Blues" was something different

558
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,358
that I think proved not only Spike Lee's

559
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:04,608
versatility as a filmmaker,

560
00:26:04,650 --> 00:26:07,998
but Denzel's versatility as an actor.

561
00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:09,558
- Big.

562
00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:10,518
I don't like no static.

563
00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:12,798
You know I'm a peaceful person.

564
00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,828
And even though you fired my ass, you're still my boy.

565
00:26:15,870 --> 00:26:17,418
I look out for your best interest.

566
00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:19,360
When was the last time you seen Clark?

567
00:26:20,790 --> 00:26:22,090
- I don't know. What's up?

568
00:26:25,410 --> 00:26:27,288
Shadow's boning Clark.

569
00:26:27,330 --> 00:26:28,323
- Oh, Shadow.

570
00:26:28,694 --> 00:26:29,962
[moaning]

571
00:26:30,004 --> 00:26:31,602
Oh, yeah.

572
00:26:31,644 --> 00:26:32,829
- Oh yeah, baby, you like it.

573
00:26:32,871 --> 00:26:35,208
Yeah, I'm gonna give it to you.

574
00:26:35,250 --> 00:26:39,678
- He plays this jazz musician
who is incredibly talented,

575
00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:43,578
but also has personal demons that he suffers with.

576
00:26:43,620 --> 00:26:46,608
And it's really a love story,

577
00:26:46,650 --> 00:26:49,248
but it's also about artistic integrity,

578
00:26:49,290 --> 00:26:53,598
which is something that I think Denzel and Spike

579
00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,338
have both spoken about a lot

580
00:26:55,380 --> 00:26:59,427
in trying to kind of maintain your artistic freedom

581
00:26:59,469 --> 00:27:03,648
in an industry where that
oftentimes is compromised.

582
00:27:03,690 --> 00:27:07,308
And it was the beginning of this really enduring,

583
00:27:07,350 --> 00:27:10,308
very loving friendship and work relationship

584
00:27:10,350 --> 00:27:14,718
between Denzel and Spike,
which continues to this day.

585
00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:16,095
- What's up? - I got your ticket.

586
00:27:16,137 --> 00:27:17,428
- Okay.

587
00:27:17,470 --> 00:27:19,458
You know that's what I was coming to check on.

588
00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:20,291
- I got your ticket.

589
00:27:20,333 --> 00:27:22,290
- Okay, all right, I'll talk to you later.

590
00:27:24,060 --> 00:27:26,375
- Sit side by side, in the house

591
00:27:26,417 --> 00:27:27,618
- [Denzel] In the house.

592
00:27:27,660 --> 00:27:29,358
- [Narrator] In "Mo Better Blues,"

593
00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,158
director Spike Lee wrote Denzel

594
00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,468
one of his rare romantic leads.

595
00:27:33,510 --> 00:27:34,728
The two locked horns

596
00:27:34,770 --> 00:27:36,798
when Denzel refused to take his shirt off

597
00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:38,658
during an intimate sex scene.

598
00:27:38,700 --> 00:27:40,578
Again, he worried that his children

599
00:27:40,620 --> 00:27:42,423
may be embarrassed by his work.

600
00:27:43,860 --> 00:27:47,598
Denzel Washington had
shaped his Oscar winning career,

601
00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,148
not only by the roles he had accepted,

602
00:27:50,190 --> 00:27:52,968
but also by the roles he had refused.

603
00:27:53,010 --> 00:27:55,968
He rejected roles such as a
small part in Terminated Two,

604
00:27:56,010 --> 00:27:57,708
as it was too small.

605
00:27:57,750 --> 00:28:01,308
He passed on the light story
of racism in "Amos and Andrew,"

606
00:28:01,350 --> 00:28:03,258
and walked away from a million dollar fee

607
00:28:03,300 --> 00:28:05,388
for "Love Field" opposite Michelle Pfeiffer

608
00:28:05,430 --> 00:28:07,130
because he didn't like the script.

609
00:28:08,070 --> 00:28:09,798
But the waiting finally paid off

610
00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,003
with a role Denzel Gladly accepted,

611
00:28:14,047 --> 00:28:15,387
"Malcolm X."

612
00:28:16,615 --> 00:28:19,008
[instrumental music]

613
00:28:19,050 --> 00:28:20,568
This role would prove to be

614
00:28:20,610 --> 00:28:23,358
the challenge that he was looking for.

615
00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:27,048
Portraying the civil rights activist Malcolm X,

616
00:28:27,090 --> 00:28:30,318
Washington gave a complex
and powerful performance,

617
00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:32,328
and many believe it to be his greatest

618
00:28:32,370 --> 00:28:34,878
and most controversial role to date.

619
00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,758
- So "Malcolm X" is widely regarded as one

620
00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,688
of the best biopics ever made,
and maybe one of the longest.

621
00:28:41,730 --> 00:28:45,468
But I think it's definitely one of the most rewarding

622
00:28:45,510 --> 00:28:46,916
films you can sit down and watch.

623
00:28:46,958 --> 00:28:48,528
- These are the questions.

624
00:28:48,570 --> 00:28:50,388
These are the questions you and I have to ask.

625
00:28:50,430 --> 00:28:51,828
How did we get this mind?

626
00:28:51,870 --> 00:28:53,058
You're not an American.

627
00:28:53,100 --> 00:28:56,238
You're an African who happens to be an American.

628
00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:57,858
You have to understand the difference.

629
00:28:57,900 --> 00:29:00,108
We didn't come over on the Nina, the Pinta,

630
00:29:00,150 --> 00:29:01,668
and the whatchamacallit.

631
00:29:01,710 --> 00:29:03,618
We didn't land on Plymouth Rock.

632
00:29:03,660 --> 00:29:07,297
Plymouth Rock landed on us, landed right on top of us.

633
00:29:07,339 --> 00:29:08,130
(audience applauding)

634
00:29:08,172 --> 00:29:11,958
- And Spike Lee fought
incredibly hard to make the film.

635
00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:16,368
Originally a White director
had been chosen by the studio,

636
00:29:16,410 --> 00:29:21,410
and Spike kind of did a bit of a bit of a protest,

637
00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:24,588
rightfully claiming that a Black filmmaker

638
00:29:24,630 --> 00:29:26,958
should get the opportunity to make the film.

639
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,708
And he was instated eventually.

640
00:29:30,750 --> 00:29:33,318
And Denzel stayed on board the project.

641
00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:37,158
He'd been cast before Spike Lee became involved.

642
00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,978
And Spike Lee said, the only person

643
00:29:40,020 --> 00:29:44,208
he ever wanted to play Malcolm X was Denzel.

644
00:29:44,250 --> 00:29:47,418
He'd played him before on
Broadway when he was younger,

645
00:29:47,460 --> 00:29:50,148
and did just a phenomenal amount of research

646
00:29:50,190 --> 00:29:52,638
into who he was as a man.

647
00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,668
And the result was this incredible epic film

648
00:29:55,710 --> 00:29:59,328
spanning the entire course of Malcolm X's life.

649
00:29:59,370 --> 00:30:03,588
So it really was this attempt to capture

650
00:30:03,630 --> 00:30:06,636
an incredibly important
figure in American culture,

651
00:30:06,678 --> 00:30:08,748
in Islamic culture,

652
00:30:08,790 --> 00:30:13,608
in the liberation of African Americans in America.

653
00:30:13,650 --> 00:30:16,866
The way Spike does it is with such energy

654
00:30:16,908 --> 00:30:18,438
and such reverence,

655
00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,128
but also, he is critical at times of Malcolm X,

656
00:30:22,170 --> 00:30:23,868
and he doesn't shy away

657
00:30:23,910 --> 00:30:26,748
from the more difficult parts of his life.

658
00:30:26,790 --> 00:30:28,578
And I think that Denzel brings

659
00:30:28,620 --> 00:30:32,718
such a sense of personality to the role,

660
00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:35,058
it doesn't feel like you're watching

661
00:30:35,100 --> 00:30:37,098
him doing an impression of Malcolm X.

662
00:30:37,140 --> 00:30:41,478
It really does feel like you are watching a film

663
00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:43,278
with the man himself.

664
00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:45,258
And it still is regarded to this day

665
00:30:45,300 --> 00:30:48,228
as one of the greatest biopics of all time.

666
00:30:48,270 --> 00:30:50,778
And I think it is that combination

667
00:30:50,820 --> 00:30:53,778
of Denzel's performance and spike's direction

668
00:30:53,820 --> 00:30:56,028
that means people still love the film

669
00:30:56,070 --> 00:30:57,432
and resonate with the film to this day.

670
00:30:57,474 --> 00:30:58,761
- Pacify it.

671
00:30:58,803 --> 00:31:00,798
Why, you can't even get drugs in Harlem

672
00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:02,598
without the White man's permission.

673
00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:04,398
You can't get prostitution in Harlem

674
00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:06,018
without the White man's permission.

675
00:31:06,060 --> 00:31:07,698
You can't get gambling in Harlem

676
00:31:07,740 --> 00:31:09,448
without the White man's permission.

677
00:31:09,490 --> 00:31:12,408
Every time you break the seal on that liquor bottle,

678
00:31:12,450 --> 00:31:15,288
that's a government seal you're breaking.

679
00:31:15,330 --> 00:31:17,598
Oh, I say it, I say it again,

680
00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,048
you've been had, you've been took,

681
00:31:21,090 --> 00:31:24,438
you've been hoodwink, bamboozled,

682
00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,228
led astray, run amok.

683
00:31:27,270 --> 00:31:28,458
This is what he does.

684
00:31:28,500 --> 00:31:30,708
- [Narrator] The tumultuous production of "Malcolm X"

685
00:31:30,750 --> 00:31:32,148
was plagued with problems,

686
00:31:32,190 --> 00:31:34,908
and made headlines from start to end.

687
00:31:34,950 --> 00:31:37,428
Director Spike Lee faced heated opposition

688
00:31:37,470 --> 00:31:38,898
from a Black Muslim group,

689
00:31:38,940 --> 00:31:42,618
which felt Lee was not
qualified to tell Malcolm X's story.

690
00:31:42,660 --> 00:31:44,418
And his choice to include visuals

691
00:31:44,460 --> 00:31:46,638
of the American flag going up in flames

692
00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:48,168
in the opening of the film

693
00:31:48,210 --> 00:31:50,718
also rubbed some people the wrong way.

694
00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:54,736
- They flew from LA to New York just to convince me

695
00:31:54,778 --> 00:31:58,598
to change and to take out the
opening sequence of the film.

696
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:00,158
- [Reporter] So why do you think

697
00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:02,568
it ought to have been directed
by an African American?

698
00:32:02,610 --> 00:32:07,248
- Well, the same reason that Francis Ford Coppola

699
00:32:07,290 --> 00:32:09,138
being an Italian American, the nuances,

700
00:32:09,180 --> 00:32:11,564
the flavor he brought to the "Godfather" trilogy.

701
00:32:11,606 --> 00:32:12,648
[hip hop music]

702
00:32:12,690 --> 00:32:14,493
Him being Italian American, he knew,

703
00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,138
he was of that background.

704
00:32:18,180 --> 00:32:19,908
- [Narrator] The film was three hours long,

705
00:32:19,950 --> 00:32:21,648
and even ran over budget.

706
00:32:21,690 --> 00:32:24,258
But despite all the hurdles faced by production,

707
00:32:24,300 --> 00:32:25,548
Denzel remained focused

708
00:32:25,590 --> 00:32:28,608
on his meticulous preparation for the role.

709
00:32:28,650 --> 00:32:31,188
He added to what he had learned many years earlier

710
00:32:31,230 --> 00:32:34,278
for his stage portrayal of Malcolm X.

711
00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,038
For inspiration, Denzel drew upon memories

712
00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,468
of his father's strength behind the pulpit.

713
00:32:39,510 --> 00:32:43,368
Sadly, Denzel's father passed away in 1991,

714
00:32:43,410 --> 00:32:44,868
suffering a stroke.

715
00:32:44,910 --> 00:32:47,538
It devastated Denzel to see the strong man

716
00:32:47,580 --> 00:32:49,158
he remembered as a young child

717
00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:52,038
lying helpless in a Virginia hospital.

718
00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:55,728
Denzel Washington Sr. died at the age of 81.

719
00:32:55,770 --> 00:32:58,848
Although Denzel had not
remained close to his father,

720
00:32:58,890 --> 00:33:02,088
Denzel Sr. had always been proud of his son.

721
00:33:02,130 --> 00:33:04,548
Sadly, Denzel Sr. never got to see

722
00:33:04,590 --> 00:33:06,978
his son's portrayal of Malcolm X,

723
00:33:07,020 --> 00:33:08,988
a character he drew heavy inspiration

724
00:33:09,030 --> 00:33:10,293
from his preaching for.

725
00:33:10,759 --> 00:33:13,398
[hip hop music]

726
00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:15,198
In preparation for the role,

727
00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,108
Denzel also trained with the Nation of Islam,

728
00:33:18,150 --> 00:33:20,298
and he gave up liquor and pork.

729
00:33:20,340 --> 00:33:23,598
To look like Malcolm, Denzel lost 20 pounds,

730
00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:25,728
had his hair dyed red and straightened,

731
00:33:25,770 --> 00:33:27,678
and he interviewed Malcolm X's widow

732
00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:29,508
and two of his brothers.

733
00:33:29,550 --> 00:33:32,274
Malcolm X earned Denzel his third Oscar nomination

734
00:33:32,316 --> 00:33:34,188
in just five years.

735
00:33:34,230 --> 00:33:37,638
But this time, he lost the Academy Award to Al Pacino,

736
00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:39,528
who won for "Scent of a Woman."

737
00:33:39,570 --> 00:33:41,418
However, he did win his fourth

738
00:33:41,460 --> 00:33:44,898
NAACP Image Award for his performance.

739
00:33:44,940 --> 00:33:46,878
But the biggest prize for Washington

740
00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:49,668
was the impact that the film had on young people.

741
00:33:49,710 --> 00:33:53,148
- I've gotten tons and tons and tons of mail

742
00:33:53,190 --> 00:33:58,158
from young people who didn't
know much about Malcolm X,

743
00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:00,408
were walking around with X hats on,

744
00:34:00,450 --> 00:34:02,898
who've taken the initiative to learn more

745
00:34:02,940 --> 00:34:05,178
about their history and their culture.

746
00:34:05,220 --> 00:34:06,978
That's the thing I'm proud of,

747
00:34:07,020 --> 00:34:09,288
most proud of about this film,

748
00:34:09,330 --> 00:34:10,848
is that it made young people,

749
00:34:10,890 --> 00:34:12,918
Black and White, and other colors too,

750
00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:14,718
think about their history in this country

751
00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,868
and what has happened, how they've been mis-educated,

752
00:34:17,910 --> 00:34:19,451
and to go and learn things for themselves.

753
00:34:19,493 --> 00:34:22,998
I'm real proud of that fact, as I know Spike is as well.

754
00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:24,198
- [Reporter] What is more important to you,

755
00:34:24,240 --> 00:34:26,748
receiving this acclaim from these group of critics

756
00:34:26,790 --> 00:34:30,018
in New York and LA, or from the audience

757
00:34:30,060 --> 00:34:32,168
that goes to see you, that follows your work?

758
00:34:33,780 --> 00:34:35,358
- It has to be the audience.

759
00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:37,128
But the most important thing to me

760
00:34:37,170 --> 00:34:40,158
is making sure that I've done all I can do

761
00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:41,628
to make the part come to life.

762
00:34:41,670 --> 00:34:44,148
That's what's most important.

763
00:34:44,190 --> 00:34:45,040
That's what I do.

764
00:34:47,460 --> 00:34:48,888
That's what I do.

765
00:34:48,930 --> 00:34:50,928
- [Narrator] But Denzel's string of successes

766
00:34:50,970 --> 00:34:53,868
brought him under increased media scrutiny.

767
00:34:53,910 --> 00:34:56,418
In a Barbara Walter special that aired back to back

768
00:34:56,460 --> 00:34:59,268
with the 1993 Oscar telecast,

769
00:34:59,310 --> 00:35:02,358
Denzel made a televised confession.

770
00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,915
He appeared to admit to infidelity by saying,

771
00:35:04,957 --> 00:35:08,118
"Temptation is all around and I haven't been perfect."

772
00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:13,160
- Well, listen, my wife is the backbone of our family,

773
00:35:13,530 --> 00:35:17,148
and I'm wise enough to admit that.

774
00:35:17,190 --> 00:35:19,548
- You speak so lovingly of your wife.

775
00:35:19,590 --> 00:35:21,168
I'm not gonna come back in five years

776
00:35:21,210 --> 00:35:23,793
and find out that you're not together.

777
00:35:23,907 --> 00:35:25,455
[soft dramatic music]

778
00:35:25,497 --> 00:35:27,048
I gotta have a little faith in someone.

779
00:35:27,090 --> 00:35:28,608
- I'd never leave my wife.

780
00:35:28,650 --> 00:35:32,191
Being a star and all of that, temptation's all around,

781
00:35:32,233 --> 00:35:34,878
it's all around, and I haven't been perfect.

782
00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,207
I'll be quite candid about it.

783
00:35:37,249 --> 00:35:38,040
- What do you mean?

784
00:35:38,082 --> 00:35:41,088
- Well, we've gone through ups and downs

785
00:35:41,130 --> 00:35:44,763
and we're still together, and we're best friends.

786
00:35:46,140 --> 00:35:47,778
- [Narrator] The press latched onto that,

787
00:35:47,820 --> 00:35:51,438
and rumors of his cheating
circulated like wildfire.

788
00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,778
For an actor with an untarnished image,

789
00:35:53,820 --> 00:35:56,778
it was an unexpected and rare admission.

790
00:35:56,820 --> 00:36:00,678
Denzel criticized the press
for making a story out of it.

791
00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:04,188
Denzel was always happy to
stop and talk about his career,

792
00:36:04,230 --> 00:36:07,848
but very rarely would he
open up about his personal life.

793
00:36:07,890 --> 00:36:09,588
He felt betrayed.

794
00:36:09,630 --> 00:36:12,258
Denzel tried to ignore all the bad publicity

795
00:36:12,300 --> 00:36:13,878
and dedicated himself even more

796
00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:15,575
to his career and his family.

797
00:36:15,617 --> 00:36:16,578
[soft instrumental music]

798
00:36:16,620 --> 00:36:19,938
That same year, 10 years after they had been married,

799
00:36:19,980 --> 00:36:22,019
Pauletta and Denzel renewed their wedding vows

800
00:36:22,061 --> 00:36:24,618
while on a trip to Africa.

801
00:36:24,660 --> 00:36:28,038
Bishop Desmond Tutu did the honors.

802
00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:29,680
- You never get to meet my wife.

803
00:36:31,150 --> 00:36:32,688
- Well, very nice to meet you.

804
00:36:32,730 --> 00:36:33,941
We talk about you a lot.

805
00:36:33,983 --> 00:36:36,698
- But now you get to... - Yeah, very nice.

806
00:36:36,740 --> 00:36:39,888
- [Narrator] In 1993, the success of three films

807
00:36:39,930 --> 00:36:43,548
diverted the public's attention
away from his personal life.

808
00:36:43,590 --> 00:36:45,498
He sought out roles that would prove

809
00:36:45,540 --> 00:36:47,748
he could hold his own at the box office,

810
00:36:47,790 --> 00:36:49,023
regardless of color.

811
00:36:49,860 --> 00:36:51,828
In a bit of unusual casting,

812
00:36:51,870 --> 00:36:53,718
Denzel tried Shakespeare again,

813
00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:55,855
in Kenneth Branagh's romantic comedy,

814
00:36:55,897 --> 00:36:57,537
"Much Ado About Nothing."

815
00:36:58,740 --> 00:37:01,938
He had always campaigned for the roles he wanted.

816
00:37:01,980 --> 00:37:05,028
But for "The Pelican Brief," it was Julia Roberts

817
00:37:05,070 --> 00:37:06,768
who campaigned to get Denzel

818
00:37:06,810 --> 00:37:08,778
the part of the crusading reporter.

819
00:37:08,820 --> 00:37:10,968
It was originally written for a White actor,

820
00:37:11,010 --> 00:37:13,788
but Julia convinced director Alan Pakula

821
00:37:13,830 --> 00:37:15,517
that Denzel was right for the part.

822
00:37:15,559 --> 00:37:16,638
[soft instrumental music]

823
00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,428
Pakula decided before Denzel signed on

824
00:37:19,470 --> 00:37:20,868
that the love scenes of the book

825
00:37:20,910 --> 00:37:23,268
were not going to work in the film.

826
00:37:23,310 --> 00:37:26,598
This fueled speculation that it was a racial issue,

827
00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:30,678
as interracial couples were
still frowned upon at this time.

828
00:37:30,720 --> 00:37:32,388
The director claimed that race

829
00:37:32,430 --> 00:37:34,848
never had anything to do with the decision.

830
00:37:34,890 --> 00:37:36,618
If Hollywood needed to be convinced

831
00:37:36,660 --> 00:37:40,015
that Denzel Washington could
appeal to a mass audience,

832
00:37:40,057 --> 00:37:43,068
"The Pelican Brief" offered proof.

833
00:37:43,110 --> 00:37:46,428
The film grossed nearly $200 million worldwide,

834
00:37:46,470 --> 00:37:49,458
making it an undeniable hit amongst moviegoers.

835
00:37:49,500 --> 00:37:51,393
But the success didn't stop there.

836
00:37:52,290 --> 00:37:54,483
His next hit was just around the corner.

837
00:37:54,590 --> 00:37:55,615
[soft instrumental music]

838
00:37:55,657 --> 00:37:58,848
"Philadelphia," released in 1994,

839
00:37:58,890 --> 00:38:00,918
marked the first time a major studio

840
00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:04,255
produced a film about AIDS
that appealed to a mass audience.

841
00:38:04,297 --> 00:38:06,828
- "Philadelphia" was a really important

842
00:38:06,870 --> 00:38:08,538
film in the early 1990s.

843
00:38:08,580 --> 00:38:11,058
It was the time of the AIDS crisis.

844
00:38:11,100 --> 00:38:13,278
The AIDS crisis was at its height.

845
00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,308
So not only were many people dying of AIDS

846
00:38:16,350 --> 00:38:18,078
and were ill with AIDS,

847
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:20,718
but there was a huge public panic around AIDS

848
00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:22,578
and how contagious it was,

849
00:38:22,620 --> 00:38:25,608
and how people with AIDS should be treated.

850
00:38:25,650 --> 00:38:29,298
There was a huge amount of homophobia around AIDS,

851
00:38:29,340 --> 00:38:31,308
really outspoken homophobia

852
00:38:31,350 --> 00:38:34,428
in a way that's difficult to imagine today.

853
00:38:34,470 --> 00:38:36,168
We've moved away from that a lot.

854
00:38:36,210 --> 00:38:39,678
So Jonathan Demi made "Philadelphia"

855
00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:43,968
as a way of countering prejudice
against people with AIDS,

856
00:38:44,010 --> 00:38:46,218
and raising awareness of AIDS

857
00:38:46,260 --> 00:38:50,088
as a disease that was
causing a lot of discrimination.

858
00:38:50,130 --> 00:38:54,498
Tom Hanks plays a young lawyer who develops AIDS

859
00:38:54,540 --> 00:38:56,838
and is sacked from his job

860
00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:00,483
by his very prejudiced bosses at the law firm.

861
00:39:01,380 --> 00:39:02,530
- Mr. Beckett, come in.

862
00:39:03,417 --> 00:39:07,417
[soft instrumental music]

863
00:39:08,850 --> 00:39:11,388
- It's good to see you again, Counselor.

864
00:39:11,430 --> 00:39:13,383
Judge Tate, Kendall Construction.

865
00:39:14,490 --> 00:39:15,323
- Innocuous.

866
00:39:16,844 --> 00:39:19,752
How are you? What happened to your face?

867
00:39:19,794 --> 00:39:21,610
- I have AIDS.

868
00:39:21,652 --> 00:39:23,118
- Oh.

869
00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:26,388
- Denzel Washington comes into it as the lawyer

870
00:39:26,430 --> 00:39:31,308
who is initially very reluctant
to engage with Hanks.

871
00:39:31,350 --> 00:39:32,898
He doesn't want to take on the case

872
00:39:32,940 --> 00:39:35,928
because he is prejudiced against people with AIDS,

873
00:39:35,970 --> 00:39:38,838
he has all sorts of assumptions
about people with AIDS

874
00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:41,208
and how contagious AIDS is.

875
00:39:41,250 --> 00:39:44,748
And so, he becomes the kind of conscience of the film,

876
00:39:44,790 --> 00:39:48,408
the public conscience of the
film, who's gradually won over

877
00:39:48,450 --> 00:39:52,848
and takes the case, and learns what AIDS is,

878
00:39:52,890 --> 00:39:54,708
and that it's not that contagious

879
00:39:54,750 --> 00:39:56,328
in terms of everyday contact,

880
00:39:56,370 --> 00:39:59,448
and develops a huge amount of sympathy for Tom Hanks.

881
00:39:59,490 --> 00:40:01,455
They're quite close by the end of the film.

882
00:40:01,497 --> 00:40:03,978
And so, it's really the story of Denzel Washington's

883
00:40:04,020 --> 00:40:08,388
awakening to the crisis, and to homophobia,

884
00:40:08,430 --> 00:40:10,218
and that all sounds very worthy.

885
00:40:10,260 --> 00:40:13,338
But of course, he plays it with
a huge amount of charisma,

886
00:40:13,380 --> 00:40:15,228
with humor, with frankness.

887
00:40:15,270 --> 00:40:19,338
It's a really, really important role in the film,

888
00:40:19,380 --> 00:40:22,788
and an important film, I think, in his career.

889
00:40:22,830 --> 00:40:24,618
Denzel Washington undoubtedly brought

890
00:40:24,660 --> 00:40:26,388
a lot of people to see the film

891
00:40:26,430 --> 00:40:29,178
who would not have otherwise seen it.

892
00:40:29,220 --> 00:40:30,918
- They're looking at Mr. Wheeler, Ms. Cornin,

893
00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:32,013
even you, Your Honor.

894
00:40:33,240 --> 00:40:34,590
They're wondering about it.

895
00:40:34,825 --> 00:40:36,738
[dramatic music]

896
00:40:36,780 --> 00:40:39,258
Trust me, I know that they are looking at me

897
00:40:39,300 --> 00:40:40,091
and thinking about it.

898
00:40:40,133 --> 00:40:41,534
So let's just get it on the open.

899
00:40:41,576 --> 00:40:43,983
Let's get it outta the closet.

900
00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,528
Because this case is not just about AIDS, is it?

901
00:40:48,570 --> 00:40:51,378
So let's talk about what this case is really all about.

902
00:40:51,420 --> 00:40:53,898
The general public's hatred, our loathing,

903
00:40:53,940 --> 00:40:57,528
our fear of homosexuals.

904
00:40:57,570 --> 00:41:00,498
- Denzel felt he could not
have played the Tom Hanks role

905
00:41:00,540 --> 00:41:02,298
because it might have been too embarrassing

906
00:41:02,340 --> 00:41:04,428
for his school-age son,

907
00:41:04,470 --> 00:41:07,128
although Tom Hanks shared a different perspective.

908
00:41:07,170 --> 00:41:11,298
- If this was 1962 and Rock Hudson

909
00:41:11,340 --> 00:41:15,553
had to pretend to be married
to his publicist secretary,

910
00:41:15,595 --> 00:41:19,548
and Luella Parsons was still
stabbing people in the back

911
00:41:19,590 --> 00:41:20,598
with her newspaper column,

912
00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:23,328
maybe it would be a tough role to take on.

913
00:41:23,370 --> 00:41:27,168
But believe me, in the United States and in the UK,

914
00:41:27,210 --> 00:41:30,378
there is stuff on free TV day in and day out

915
00:41:30,420 --> 00:41:33,138
that make me playing a homosexual

916
00:41:33,180 --> 00:41:35,028
small potatoes in comparison.

917
00:41:35,070 --> 00:41:37,428
- [Narrator] Even so, the role Denzel did choose

918
00:41:37,470 --> 00:41:38,718
was not easy.

919
00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:41,298
He was playing a not so very sympathetic character

920
00:41:41,340 --> 00:41:43,518
who was a good counterpart to Hanks.

921
00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:45,768
The film won Tom Hanks an Oscar.

922
00:41:45,810 --> 00:41:48,828
And although Denzel did not,
the film certainly continued

923
00:41:48,870 --> 00:41:50,883
to raise his prestige as an actor.

924
00:41:52,860 --> 00:41:55,338
The award-winning "Philadelphia" was a hit,

925
00:41:55,380 --> 00:41:57,194
grossing more than $200 million

926
00:41:57,236 --> 00:41:59,568
in theaters around the world.

927
00:41:59,610 --> 00:42:03,108
Following the hits, the
"Pelican Brief" and "Philadelphia,"

928
00:42:03,150 --> 00:42:05,658
Denzel chose another colorblind role,

929
00:42:05,700 --> 00:42:08,268
playing the second in Command man to Gene Hackman

930
00:42:08,310 --> 00:42:10,008
in "Crimson Tide."

931
00:42:10,050 --> 00:42:13,075
Taking in nearly $100 million in the theaters,

932
00:42:13,117 --> 00:42:15,753
"Crimson Tide" continued his run of hits.

933
00:42:15,838 --> 00:42:17,208
[jazz music]

934
00:42:17,250 --> 00:42:20,208
Denzel had a more family oriented movie in mind

935
00:42:20,250 --> 00:42:21,828
for his next project.

936
00:42:21,870 --> 00:42:23,688
His Monday Lane Productions

937
00:42:23,730 --> 00:42:27,768
produced a remake of the
1947 classic, "The Bishop's Wife,"

938
00:42:27,810 --> 00:42:30,258
and renamed it "The Preacher's Wife"

939
00:42:30,300 --> 00:42:31,793
- You ever had your palm read?

940
00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:42,528
Denzel took on Carrie Grant's part as an angel,

941
00:42:42,570 --> 00:42:44,988
and had to do a hard sale to get Whitney Houston

942
00:42:45,030 --> 00:42:47,628
to take on the role of the spirited wife.

943
00:42:47,670 --> 00:42:49,278
Denzel seemed more at home

944
00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:51,805
making a movie with family appeal.

945
00:42:51,847 --> 00:42:54,228
"The Preacher's Wife" was a moderate success,

946
00:42:54,270 --> 00:42:57,213
making $48 million at the box office.

947
00:42:59,017 --> 00:43:02,028
"Glory" director, Ed Zwick called Denzel

948
00:43:02,070 --> 00:43:06,528
back to the military for "Courage Under Fire," in 1996.

949
00:43:06,570 --> 00:43:09,048
20th Century Fox hired Denzel

950
00:43:09,090 --> 00:43:10,938
for the highest salary ever paid

951
00:43:10,980 --> 00:43:14,358
to an African American actor for a dramatic role,

952
00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:15,423
over $10 million.

953
00:43:17,460 --> 00:43:18,468
With his success

954
00:43:18,510 --> 00:43:21,138
came more and more attention from the press,

955
00:43:21,180 --> 00:43:24,678
most of which he reportedly found quite irritating.

956
00:43:24,720 --> 00:43:27,378
People Magazine proclaimed Denzel

957
00:43:27,420 --> 00:43:29,463
as one of the sexiest men alive.

958
00:43:29,775 --> 00:43:30,918
[jazz music]

959
00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:32,928
Denzel dismissed that notion,

960
00:43:32,970 --> 00:43:35,268
claiming that no women ever lined up at his door

961
00:43:35,310 --> 00:43:39,258
when he was a young, man and he must have just aged well.

962
00:43:39,300 --> 00:43:40,908
- So by the end of the 90s,

963
00:43:40,950 --> 00:43:45,288
Denzel had really developed
a incredible reputation

964
00:43:45,330 --> 00:43:49,578
as one of the best actors working of his generation.

965
00:43:49,620 --> 00:43:53,598
He had made "Malcolm X," he'd made "The Hurricane."

966
00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:57,888
He was kind of on top of the world in a lot of aspects,

967
00:43:57,930 --> 00:44:01,158
and was fast becoming really someone

968
00:44:01,200 --> 00:44:03,438
that audiences loved to watch.

969
00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:05,328
- [Narrator] By now, Denzel had become

970
00:44:05,370 --> 00:44:07,778
an accomplished producer and a highly paid actor

971
00:44:07,820 --> 00:44:09,468
in just a few years.

972
00:44:09,510 --> 00:44:12,498
His success and professional
image drew comparisons

973
00:44:12,540 --> 00:44:15,708
over the years to another
handsome African American actor,

974
00:44:15,750 --> 00:44:17,718
Sidney Poitier.

975
00:44:17,760 --> 00:44:19,728
The pair ended up being good friends,

976
00:44:19,770 --> 00:44:21,963
despite never playing in a film together.

977
00:44:23,047 --> 00:44:26,208
"Sidney Poitier told me many, many years ago

978
00:44:26,250 --> 00:44:28,698
that the first four or five movies that you do

979
00:44:28,740 --> 00:44:31,068
will determine how you're perceived in the business,"

980
00:44:31,110 --> 00:44:32,223
Washington said.

981
00:44:33,060 --> 00:44:34,458
The actor then pointed out

982
00:44:34,500 --> 00:44:36,318
that the first movies he ever worked on

983
00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:39,108
meant he was off to the races.

984
00:44:39,150 --> 00:44:43,098
In the spring of 1998, Denzel
teamed up for the third time

985
00:44:43,140 --> 00:44:46,315
with Spike Lee in Lee's tribute
to the game of basketball,

986
00:44:46,357 --> 00:44:48,138
"He Got Game."

987
00:44:48,180 --> 00:44:49,938
In the critically acclaimed performance,

988
00:44:49,980 --> 00:44:52,038
Denzel played a convicted criminal,

989
00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:55,308
a far cry from his usual good guy roles.

990
00:44:55,350 --> 00:44:58,278
In "Training Day," released in 2001,

991
00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:01,308
Washington played a corrupt
and violent police detective,

992
00:45:01,350 --> 00:45:02,898
the performance for which he became

993
00:45:02,940 --> 00:45:05,358
only the second African American actor,

994
00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:07,458
the first being Sidney Sidney Poitier,

995
00:45:07,500 --> 00:45:09,888
to win an Oscar for best Actor.

996
00:45:09,930 --> 00:45:13,188
- In "Training Day," we see Denzel playing

997
00:45:13,230 --> 00:45:15,258
a pretty different character for him.

998
00:45:15,300 --> 00:45:18,258
Up until the point of "Training Day,"

999
00:45:18,300 --> 00:45:21,408
he'd already made this reputation for himself

1000
00:45:21,450 --> 00:45:23,148
almost of playing nice guys,

1001
00:45:23,190 --> 00:45:27,078
or if not nice guys, very authoritative figures

1002
00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:29,778
who were very noble and just.

1003
00:45:29,820 --> 00:45:32,898
And now he was playing this corrupt cop,

1004
00:45:32,940 --> 00:45:37,668
and not even a little bit corrupt, a very corrupt cop,

1005
00:45:37,710 --> 00:45:40,278
who is the antagonist of the film.

1006
00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:43,218
And I think this surprised a lot of people,

1007
00:45:43,260 --> 00:45:46,008
not because they didn't think that Denzel

1008
00:45:46,050 --> 00:45:49,098
was capable of playing such a difficult role,

1009
00:45:49,140 --> 00:45:53,508
but because he was so believable and so commanding.

1010
00:45:53,550 --> 00:45:56,868
And the film really to this day

1011
00:45:56,910 --> 00:45:58,101
is considered one of his best performances.

1012
00:45:58,143 --> 00:45:59,868
[jazz music]

1013
00:45:59,910 --> 00:46:01,597
- Just throw that in glove box.

1014
00:46:02,490 --> 00:46:04,188
- This car is not from the motor pool.

1015
00:46:04,230 --> 00:46:05,298
- No, it's not.

1016
00:46:05,340 --> 00:46:07,008
Sexy though, isn't it?

1017
00:46:07,050 --> 00:46:09,050
So where's the office, back at Division?

1018
00:46:10,530 --> 00:46:11,980
- You're in the office, baby.

1019
00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:14,333
[hip hop music]

1020
00:46:14,375 --> 00:46:15,902
Going up.

1021
00:46:15,944 --> 00:46:18,527
[hip hop music]

1022
00:46:32,105 --> 00:46:33,798
- [Narrator] In addition to his film work,

1023
00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:37,398
Washington occasionally
made time to return to the stage.

1024
00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:41,448
In 2005, he starred as Brutus in "Julius Caesar."

1025
00:46:41,490 --> 00:46:43,926
Five years later, he appeared
in the Broadway revival

1026
00:46:43,968 --> 00:46:46,248
of August Wilson's "Fences,"

1027
00:46:46,290 --> 00:46:48,738
a family drama set in the 1950s

1028
00:46:48,780 --> 00:46:52,158
that explores issues of identity and racism.

1029
00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:53,718
For his performance,

1030
00:46:53,760 --> 00:46:56,748
Washington won a Tony Award in 2010.

1031
00:46:56,790 --> 00:46:58,308
He later directed and stared

1032
00:46:58,350 --> 00:47:00,018
in a film adaptation of the play

1033
00:47:00,060 --> 00:47:04,458
alongside his friend and Egot
holder, actress Viola Davis,

1034
00:47:04,500 --> 00:47:07,405
and his performance earned him an Oscar nomination.

1035
00:47:07,447 --> 00:47:12,378
- "Fences" is a play about a former baseball player

1036
00:47:12,420 --> 00:47:15,074
who has become a sanitation worker.

1037
00:47:15,116 --> 00:47:20,116
And it's a story that Denzel was very familiar with

1038
00:47:20,670 --> 00:47:25,068
because he had played the
role previously on Broadway

1039
00:47:25,110 --> 00:47:28,338
and had worked with Viola Davis,

1040
00:47:28,380 --> 00:47:31,398
who played his in the play,

1041
00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:35,058
and it's something that I think he felt very strongly

1042
00:47:35,100 --> 00:47:38,208
needed to be moved to the big screen,

1043
00:47:38,250 --> 00:47:40,968
or deserved to be moved to the big screen.

1044
00:47:41,010 --> 00:47:44,478
And it's quite a tough watch at times.

1045
00:47:44,520 --> 00:47:46,995
I think that Viola Davis and Denzel

1046
00:47:47,037 --> 00:47:51,348
are such a compelling presence together on screen.

1047
00:47:51,390 --> 00:47:55,758
And it confronts a lot of difficult truths

1048
00:47:55,800 --> 00:47:59,808
about living as a Black couple in 1950s Pittsburgh,

1049
00:47:59,850 --> 00:48:02,969
and the kind of harshness of that life.

1050
00:48:03,011 --> 00:48:03,961
- We're not talking about no baseball.

1051
00:48:04,003 --> 00:48:05,988
- Oh, you're not listening to me.

1052
00:48:06,030 --> 00:48:09,003
I'm trying to explain it to you the best way I know how.

1053
00:48:10,500 --> 00:48:11,898
It's not easy for me to admit

1054
00:48:11,940 --> 00:48:14,898
that I've been standing in the same place for 18 years.

1055
00:48:14,940 --> 00:48:16,740
- Well, I've been standing with you.

1056
00:48:17,700 --> 00:48:19,968
I've been right here with you, Troy.

1057
00:48:20,010 --> 00:48:21,678
I got a life too.

1058
00:48:21,720 --> 00:48:26,148
I gave 18 years of my life to
stand in the same spot as you.

1059
00:48:26,190 --> 00:48:28,188
Don't you think I ever wanted another things?

1060
00:48:28,230 --> 00:48:30,168
Don't you think I had dreams and hopes?

1061
00:48:30,210 --> 00:48:32,418
What about my life? What about me?

1062
00:48:32,460 --> 00:48:34,338
- It really felt like you were watching

1063
00:48:34,380 --> 00:48:36,888
these two kind of powerhouse actors

1064
00:48:36,930 --> 00:48:40,488
giving their all to the source material.

1065
00:48:40,530 --> 00:48:44,268
And I think that directing theater on the big screen

1066
00:48:44,310 --> 00:48:45,348
is always quite difficult.

1067
00:48:45,390 --> 00:48:46,758
But Denzel, I think,

1068
00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:51,768
because he has such experience as an actor on screen,

1069
00:48:51,810 --> 00:48:54,018
on stage, behind the camera,

1070
00:48:54,060 --> 00:48:56,208
I think he really was the best person

1071
00:48:56,250 --> 00:49:00,798
to realize this dream of bringing the film together.

1072
00:49:00,840 --> 00:49:04,158
- Some critics have said that Denzel Washington

1073
00:49:04,200 --> 00:49:07,818
transcends race, and I get what they mean,

1074
00:49:07,860 --> 00:49:11,358
that he's an actor who is popular

1075
00:49:11,400 --> 00:49:13,818
and can take on any kind of role

1076
00:49:13,860 --> 00:49:16,698
regardless of the race of the character.

1077
00:49:16,740 --> 00:49:20,748
But I also think it's important
that he is African American

1078
00:49:20,790 --> 00:49:24,078
and he has the stature that he has in Hollywood.

1079
00:49:24,120 --> 00:49:28,458
'Cause really, there aren't
that many other actors like him.

1080
00:49:28,500 --> 00:49:31,968
There aren't that many leading
African American male actors

1081
00:49:32,010 --> 00:49:33,828
who don't play comedy,

1082
00:49:33,870 --> 00:49:38,058
and who have the kind of gravitas that he has.

1083
00:49:38,100 --> 00:49:42,588
So I think he's a really
important presence in Hollywood.

1084
00:49:42,630 --> 00:49:44,718
- [Narrator] After playing Robert McCall,

1085
00:49:44,760 --> 00:49:46,368
a mysterious vigilante,

1086
00:49:46,410 --> 00:49:49,848
in the action thriller, "The Equalizer," in 2014,

1087
00:49:49,890 --> 00:49:53,598
Washington appeared in "The
Magnificent Seven" in 2016,

1088
00:49:53,640 --> 00:49:56,988
a remake of the 1960 classic western.

1089
00:49:57,030 --> 00:50:00,918
In 2017, he starred in "Roman J. Israel,"

1090
00:50:00,960 --> 00:50:03,588
portraying an idealistic Los Angeles lawyer

1091
00:50:03,630 --> 00:50:06,048
who begins to question his principles.

1092
00:50:06,090 --> 00:50:07,608
For his performance,

1093
00:50:07,650 --> 00:50:11,358
Washington received his eighth
Oscar nomination for acting.

1094
00:50:11,400 --> 00:50:14,118
He then reprized his role as Robert McCall

1095
00:50:14,160 --> 00:50:16,728
in "The Equalizer 2" in 2018,

1096
00:50:16,770 --> 00:50:19,038
proving that he had more than the capabilities

1097
00:50:19,080 --> 00:50:22,158
to carry a successful film franchise.

1098
00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:22,991
- In "The Equalizer,"

1099
00:50:23,033 --> 00:50:26,298
he plays a man of extraordinary humility,

1100
00:50:26,340 --> 00:50:29,298
quietness, moral centeredness,

1101
00:50:29,340 --> 00:50:31,278
all the things that we might expect

1102
00:50:31,320 --> 00:50:33,678
from any Washington character.

1103
00:50:33,720 --> 00:50:36,348
But we're always aware that
behind that tranquil surface,

1104
00:50:36,390 --> 00:50:41,390
there is a man who is capable
of extraordinary violence,

1105
00:50:41,697 --> 00:50:43,098
[piano music]

1106
00:50:43,140 --> 00:50:46,338
and capable of saving anyone from anything.

1107
00:50:46,380 --> 00:50:49,428
There is no corner that he's backed into

1108
00:50:49,470 --> 00:50:51,678
that he can't work his way out of.

1109
00:50:51,720 --> 00:50:53,175
It's really quite an extraordinary role.

1110
00:50:53,217 --> 00:50:56,718
And I think as the film goes by, you just accept that,

1111
00:50:56,760 --> 00:50:59,658
that he will always survive,

1112
00:50:59,700 --> 00:51:02,748
no matter what is thrown at him, he will overcome it.

1113
00:51:02,790 --> 00:51:05,448
And there's a kind of clarity to the character

1114
00:51:05,490 --> 00:51:07,773
that makes that believable.

1115
00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:10,175
- Is that a Heckler & Koch?

1116
00:51:10,217 --> 00:51:11,898
[suspenseful music]

1117
00:51:11,940 --> 00:51:13,784
- This? - Yeah.

1118
00:51:13,826 --> 00:51:17,448
(speaking in foreign language)

1119
00:51:17,490 --> 00:51:18,437
- What is he saying?

1120
00:51:18,479 --> 00:51:20,178
- I don't fucking know.

1121
00:51:20,220 --> 00:51:21,558
- Can I see it?

1122
00:51:21,600 --> 00:51:23,223
- Oh, you want to see my gun?

1123
00:51:25,320 --> 00:51:26,153
- Yes and no.

1124
00:51:29,910 --> 00:51:33,018
- Alright, alright, alright. Whoa, whoa, whoa!

1125
00:51:33,060 --> 00:51:35,358
You're so fucking nuts, fuck!

1126
00:51:35,400 --> 00:51:37,818
- All right, everybody settle down.

1127
00:51:37,860 --> 00:51:40,368
- [Narrator] Also in 2021, Washington starred

1128
00:51:40,410 --> 00:51:43,338
with Frances McDormand in "The Tragedy of Macbeth,"

1129
00:51:43,380 --> 00:51:46,818
Joel Cohen's adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

1130
00:51:46,860 --> 00:51:49,608
Washington received an Academy Award nomination

1131
00:51:49,650 --> 00:51:52,278
for his portrayal of the titular character.

1132
00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:55,338
- One of the really remarkable
things about his later career

1133
00:51:55,380 --> 00:51:58,098
is that he keeps returning to Broadway

1134
00:51:58,140 --> 00:52:00,168
to work as stage actor.

1135
00:52:00,210 --> 00:52:02,358
So he's an actor who believes

1136
00:52:02,400 --> 00:52:04,998
in acting in that traditional sense.

1137
00:52:05,040 --> 00:52:07,368
It's clearly a way of kind of proving your chops

1138
00:52:07,410 --> 00:52:09,108
as an actor.

1139
00:52:09,150 --> 00:52:12,978
What he could do now as an actor in his 60s

1140
00:52:13,020 --> 00:52:16,188
is sit back and take the best film roles.

1141
00:52:16,230 --> 00:52:19,488
But he's clearly more ambitious
and more driven than that.

1142
00:52:19,530 --> 00:52:21,948
- [Narrator] In 2016, Washington received

1143
00:52:21,990 --> 00:52:24,018
the Cecil B. DeMille Award,

1144
00:52:24,060 --> 00:52:26,988
a Golden Globe Award for
outstanding contributions

1145
00:52:27,030 --> 00:52:29,028
to the world of entertainment.

1146
00:52:29,070 --> 00:52:30,348
- Now, it's odd how many of these

1147
00:52:30,390 --> 00:52:33,258
immortals of the silver screen, of the firmament,

1148
00:52:33,300 --> 00:52:35,358
need only one name

1149
00:52:35,400 --> 00:52:38,838
to conjure the gestalt of their great artistry.

1150
00:52:38,880 --> 00:52:43,880
In women, it's names like
Garbo, Hepburn, Stanwick, Lauren.

1151
00:52:44,029 --> 00:52:45,408
[piano music]

1152
00:52:45,450 --> 00:52:49,218
With men, it's Bogart, Cagney, Gable.

1153
00:52:49,260 --> 00:52:51,948
Now, you can check in the one-two combination punch

1154
00:52:51,990 --> 00:52:56,990
of Gary Cooper or John Wayne, but a solo tag is the norm.

1155
00:52:57,120 --> 00:53:01,998
Brando, Clift, Poitier,

1156
00:53:02,040 --> 00:53:04,668
McQueen, Hoffman, De Niro, Pacino.

1157
00:53:04,710 --> 00:53:08,388
Now the cliche, the list goes on and on,

1158
00:53:08,430 --> 00:53:12,018
does not apply here, because it doesn't.

1159
00:53:12,060 --> 00:53:16,518
The list is finite, the club is exclusive,

1160
00:53:16,560 --> 00:53:19,428
but it includes the actor

1161
00:53:19,470 --> 00:53:22,270
who is to being given the
Cecil B. DeMille Award tonight.

1162
00:53:23,385 --> 00:53:26,552
(audience applauding)

1163
00:53:30,210 --> 00:53:31,308
- [Narrator] He later was awarded

1164
00:53:31,350 --> 00:53:33,903
the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022.

1165
00:53:34,830 --> 00:53:36,618
Denzel felt no constraints

1166
00:53:36,660 --> 00:53:38,928
about his personal responsibilities.

1167
00:53:38,970 --> 00:53:40,938
He is known to be very generous

1168
00:53:40,980 --> 00:53:42,430
with his wealth and his time.

1169
00:53:42,485 --> 00:53:43,368
[soft instrumental music]

1170
00:53:43,410 --> 00:53:46,788
- Denzel has become one of the most well-known

1171
00:53:46,830 --> 00:53:48,768
and well-liked figures in Hollywood.

1172
00:53:48,810 --> 00:53:51,348
I think it's very hard to find anyone

1173
00:53:51,390 --> 00:53:53,148
with a bad word to say against him,

1174
00:53:53,190 --> 00:53:55,248
because he's such a hardworking man,

1175
00:53:55,290 --> 00:54:00,290
and so committed to storytelling and to craft,

1176
00:54:00,570 --> 00:54:02,358
but also to helping other actors

1177
00:54:02,400 --> 00:54:05,298
and to championing other actors.

1178
00:54:05,340 --> 00:54:06,258
If you ever see him interviewed,

1179
00:54:06,300 --> 00:54:10,308
he's a very generous interviewee, and very funny.

1180
00:54:10,350 --> 00:54:13,698
And he has really managed to maintain

1181
00:54:13,740 --> 00:54:15,648
this kind of levelheadedness

1182
00:54:15,690 --> 00:54:20,268
throughout his career in
Hollywood, which is no small thing.

1183
00:54:20,310 --> 00:54:21,101
- [Reporter] Speaking of actors,

1184
00:54:21,143 --> 00:54:23,760
did anything surprise you
about Denzel, working with him?

1185
00:54:25,050 --> 00:54:25,841
- No.

1186
00:54:25,883 --> 00:54:27,828
I mean, I know his talent.

1187
00:54:27,870 --> 00:54:28,938
I knew his caliber of talent.

1188
00:54:28,980 --> 00:54:30,678
I've been watching him forever.

1189
00:54:30,720 --> 00:54:33,153
So I wasn't really surprised at anything.

1190
00:54:34,169 --> 00:54:37,908
I was happy at how generous he was,

1191
00:54:37,950 --> 00:54:42,588
and how accessible he was as an actor in the scenes.

1192
00:54:42,630 --> 00:54:45,768
It just raised everything to that next level.

1193
00:54:45,810 --> 00:54:49,518
- He's been married to his wife for a very long time.

1194
00:54:49,560 --> 00:54:52,158
In Hollywood, that is incredibly impressive.

1195
00:54:52,200 --> 00:54:55,278
And now we're seeing his kids

1196
00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:56,988
come through the system as well

1197
00:54:57,030 --> 00:54:59,148
with a love for acting and filmmaking.

1198
00:54:59,190 --> 00:55:02,868
I think that that proves that
Denzel has done a lot right

1199
00:55:02,910 --> 00:55:05,808
to kind of show them that there's a place

1200
00:55:05,850 --> 00:55:08,598
in this world for their stories,

1201
00:55:08,640 --> 00:55:13,368
and for them to have the same
love for the craft as he does.

1202
00:55:13,410 --> 00:55:16,548
- Denzel Washington is an actor and a star

1203
00:55:16,590 --> 00:55:20,838
who has no scandal attached to him whatsoever.

1204
00:55:20,880 --> 00:55:23,808
He lives a very wholesome life,

1205
00:55:23,850 --> 00:55:25,548
especially by Hollywood standards.

1206
00:55:25,590 --> 00:55:28,188
He's a family man, he's a churchgoer.

1207
00:55:28,230 --> 00:55:32,868
People who know him talk
about the strength of his faith.

1208
00:55:32,910 --> 00:55:35,628
And the fiasco at the Oscars

1209
00:55:35,670 --> 00:55:38,748
when Will Smith hit Chris Rock,

1210
00:55:38,790 --> 00:55:42,738
it was Denzel Washington
that Will Smith then turned to

1211
00:55:42,780 --> 00:55:44,448
and took solace from.

1212
00:55:44,490 --> 00:55:47,298
And Denzel Washington not only consoled him,

1213
00:55:47,340 --> 00:55:51,198
but gave him a kind of spiritual advice

1214
00:55:51,240 --> 00:55:52,278
about what had happened.

1215
00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:54,258
That is, when you were at your most powerful,

1216
00:55:54,300 --> 00:55:57,108
the devil comes for you and undermines you.

1217
00:55:57,150 --> 00:55:59,418
And I think that's how Will Smith

1218
00:55:59,460 --> 00:56:00,948
felt about what had happened.

1219
00:56:00,990 --> 00:56:03,108
And having Denzel Washington's advice

1220
00:56:03,150 --> 00:56:05,568
helped him come through that moment.

1221
00:56:05,610 --> 00:56:08,478
- He's also known for supporting a ranger of charities,

1222
00:56:08,520 --> 00:56:10,668
such as the Fisher House Foundation

1223
00:56:10,710 --> 00:56:13,908
and the Nelson Mandela Fund.

1224
00:56:13,950 --> 00:56:18,168
And he really is someone who
cares about using his platform,

1225
00:56:18,210 --> 00:56:20,328
but in a kind of behind the scenes way.

1226
00:56:20,370 --> 00:56:23,238
He doesn't want a ton of credit or glory.

1227
00:56:23,280 --> 00:56:26,268
He just wants to use the
money and success that he's had

1228
00:56:26,310 --> 00:56:28,038
to help other people.

1229
00:56:28,080 --> 00:56:30,258
- [Narrator] He donated two and a half million dollars

1230
00:56:30,300 --> 00:56:33,708
for a new building at the
church he and his family attend.

1231
00:56:33,750 --> 00:56:35,388
He also stayed involved

1232
00:56:35,430 --> 00:56:37,758
with the Boys and Girls Club of America,

1233
00:56:37,800 --> 00:56:40,488
becoming the national
spokesman for the organization

1234
00:56:40,530 --> 00:56:43,908
which had kept him off the streets many years ago.

1235
00:56:43,950 --> 00:56:47,238
Whether as an actor, producer, director,

1236
00:56:47,280 --> 00:56:49,248
or simply as a human being,

1237
00:56:49,290 --> 00:56:52,818
Denzel Washington pursued
his goals with integrity,

1238
00:56:52,860 --> 00:56:55,068
and a genuine desire to spread goodness

1239
00:56:55,110 --> 00:56:57,198
and constantly challenge himself.

1240
00:56:57,240 --> 00:56:58,890
- I wish I was the smartest them.

1241
00:56:58,945 --> 00:56:59,778
[laughter]

1242
00:56:59,820 --> 00:57:03,708
- When the history of Hollywood
is written in future years,

1243
00:57:03,750 --> 00:57:06,048
there'll be two African American actors

1244
00:57:06,090 --> 00:57:07,548
who really stand out.

1245
00:57:07,590 --> 00:57:09,918
One of them will be Sidney Poitier,

1246
00:57:09,960 --> 00:57:13,458
who was really the first leading man,

1247
00:57:13,500 --> 00:57:15,498
leading man who was African American,

1248
00:57:15,540 --> 00:57:18,348
and the second will, of course, be Denzel Washington.

1249
00:57:18,390 --> 00:57:20,778
And Denzel Washington redefined

1250
00:57:20,820 --> 00:57:23,778
what an African American actor can do in Hollywood.

1251
00:57:23,820 --> 00:57:27,138
Sidney Poitier tended to play characters

1252
00:57:27,180 --> 00:57:30,738
who did not trouble or challenge the mainstream,

1253
00:57:30,780 --> 00:57:33,738
that is White American audience.

1254
00:57:33,780 --> 00:57:36,168
Whereas Denzel Washington plays

1255
00:57:36,210 --> 00:57:40,368
much more ambitious, challenging roles.

1256
00:57:40,410 --> 00:57:44,088
He's not there to make the White American audience

1257
00:57:44,130 --> 00:57:45,828
feel better about themselves.

1258
00:57:45,870 --> 00:57:49,068
He plays strong, powerful,

1259
00:57:49,110 --> 00:57:51,948
at times aggressive, and very moral,

1260
00:57:51,990 --> 00:57:54,888
morally upstanding African-American roles.

1261
00:57:54,930 --> 00:57:58,488
And I think that's the biggest part of his legacy,

1262
00:57:58,530 --> 00:57:59,928
the way in which he changed

1263
00:57:59,970 --> 00:58:03,662
what African American actors can do in Hollywood.

1264
00:58:03,704 --> 00:58:06,454
[soft instrumental music]

1265
00:58:10,915 --> 00:58:14,915
[soft instrumental music]

1266
00:58:27,853 --> 00:58:31,853
[soft instrumental music]

1267
00:58:39,454 --> 00:58:43,454
[upbeat music]