By India McCarty
Denzel Washington might have two Oscars, but for the actor, it’s not about the trophies; it’s about God’s glory.
“I don’t do it for Oscars. I don’t care about that kind of stuff,” Washington told Variety. “I’ve been at this a long time, and there’s time when I won and shouldn’t have won and then didn’t win and should’ve won. Man gives the award. God gives the reward.”
He continued, “I’m not that interested in Oscars. People ask me, ‘Where do I keep it?’ Well, next to the other one. I’m not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, [Oscars] aren’t going to do me a bit of good.”
Washington even joked about his indifference to Academy Awards in a recent interview with The New York Times. The actor was asked if he was upset about not receiving a nomination for his role in GLADIATOR II.
“Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset,” he laughed, then added, “I’m happy for all that did, and I’m happy with what I’m doing.”
Actor Ethan Hawke, who co-starred in TRAINING DAY alongside Washington, shared that the actor had some advice for him following his Oscar loss, telling Hawke, “It’s better that you didn’t win. Losing was better.”
Related: Denzel Washington: Success Was ‘Given To Me By The Grace Of God’
“You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status. That’s the way he thinks,” Hawke said of his co-star’s words of wisdom during an episode of WHO’S TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE? “That’s what I’m talking about playing with Babe Ruth. The Academy Award has more power, because Denzel has a couple. It didn’t elevate who he was.”
Oscars aren’t the only thing that Washington doesn’t really care about. He recently opened up about his thoughts on “cancel culture.”
“What does that mean — to be canceled?” he said during an interview with Complex. “Who cares? What made public support so important to begin with?”
When the reporter he was speaking to explained that many stars are worried about losing “followers,” Washington replied, “I don’t care who’s following who.”
“You can’t lead and follow at the same time, and you can’t follow and lead at the same time,” he continued. “I don’t follow anybody. I follow the heavenly spirit. I follow God, I don’t follow man. I have faith in God. I have hope in man, but look around, it ain’t working out so well.”
Washington’s attitude towards acting awards is both an indicator of his power and well-known talent in the industry, as well as his strong Christian faith.
Read Next: How Denzel Washington’s Faith and ‘Attitude Of Gratitude’ Guided His Career
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +4