Denzel Washington might be one of the most successful actors in Hollywood, but don't invite him to see a film. The 70-year-old Oscar winner is currently doing promo for the Spike Lee-led film Highest 2 Lowest, and his candid, "this is me" responses have been going viral.
Washington, Lee, and A$AP Rocky—who stars in the film—sat down with GQ for an amazing conversation. Rocky was gushing over Lee's work when he turned to Washington and asked if he had any favorite Lee dolly shots, a camera technique where the entire camera moves physically closer to or further from the subject, or moves alongside it.
Looking down at his phone, the Flight star said, “I don’t watch movies, man. I really don’t.” As they started to giggle, he doubled down: “I’m just being honest with you! I don’t watch movies, man! I don’t go to the movies. I don’t watch movies."
Clips from the interview have gone viral on the internet, with people defending the Glory star, saying, "Do y'all go to work after coming from work?" "I don't go to work when I'm off" and “I don’t watch movies, I am the movies” are among some of he funniest comments."
When Lee asked how many films he's been in, Washington replied, "Too many," estimating around 50. According to IMDb, he actually has 65 acting credits. His first film is listed as Wilma (1977), where he played Denzel Washington Jr. Four of his credits are TV shows, and a couple are narrations - so his guess wasn’t too far off.
And while Washington doesn’t have a favorite dolly shot of Lee’s, their decades-long run of collaborations speaks for itself. Highest 2 Lowest marks their fifth project together, following Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Malcolm X (1992), He Got Game (1998), and Inside Man (2006). Washington was even nominated for best actor for Malcolm X, an award Lee still says should’ve been his.
A dream come true for A$AP Rocky
The interview had plenty of other standout moments, especially between Washington and Rocky. Washington even threw out the possibility of Rihanna and him naming their child "Denzel" if they have a son. "Denzel's a beautiful name for a son," he quipped.
Rocky lit up talking about his admiration of Washington, saying, “My whole life, my mother gassed me up and told me I look like this man." He quipped that if he had a penny every time somebody said he looked like Denzel, he'd be a trillionaire.
The rapper continued to gush over Denzel, saying he's probably one of his biggest fans. He even offered to carry the baton if Denzel ever wanted to pass it to him, "I’m baby Denzel,” he said. Washington, in classic form, tossed back, “You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud, too.”
The film is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's High and Low, which follows a fallen rap star, played by A$AP Rocky, as he navigates fame, loss, and redemption. Washington stars as a mentor figure who pushes him to face his past while guiding him toward a second chance.
The film blends music, family, and ambition with Lee’s signature style. While being opposite of Washington would make most actors nervous, Rocky told Variety in an earlier interview, "I was born for this." “I’m not gonna waste anybody’s time. This is what I do — this is the same approach you would take to making an album or to directing or designing anything: You’ve got to give it your all," he continued.
He went on to call it a "dream come true." "It was crazy - it’s fucking Denzel, man. I don’t give a f**k how successful [I am]: I’m always gonna be a student and a fan of certain people, and I’m always going to give them their flowers. I’m never going to be too big to be able to say that I had to hold my composure from not fanning out."