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How Denzel Washington’s Faith and ‘Attitude Of Gratitude’ Guided His Career

Photo via Movieguide® interview

How Denzel Washington’s Faith and ‘Attitude Of Gratitude’ Guided His Career

By Movieguide® Contributor

Denzel Washington recently talked about how faith influenced his directing of A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN. 

“[We] always started the day with prayer,” Washington told Relevant magazine. The actor would gather the cast and crew to pray each day before shooting and he says it transformed the movie. “There’s all kinds of little miracles that you run into that you didn’t anticipate.”

Washington’s father was a Pentecostal minister. Washington spent his life working to lead a life that would make his father proud, using his faith to guide his work. 

“If you have faith, then have faith,” he stated. “It’s easy to say, harder to do. And you do forget.” 

“Didn’t always know how it would [work],” Washington continued, walking about his career. “But just being thankful and having an attitude of gratitude [helped].” 

Movieguide® previously reported on Washington’s work on the movie:

Director, actor and producer Denzel Washington didn’t hesitate when an eighth-grade girl asked him for words of wisdom.

“God is love,” Washington responded in a webinar for JOURNAL FOR JORDAN. “God is light. He shines his light and his love through us and we share His love with the world. In this time, at this time when we are spiritually on shaky ground, I believe from a spiritual perspective that God is talking to us now. He’s shut all of us up.

“He’s given us this plague if you will, and told each and every one of us to go back to our tents all around the world in an instant. And He said to us, in my humble opinion, ‘Take a look at yourself, take a look at your family, take a look at those that you love, appreciate them because God is love,” the director continued.

But the advice didn’t stop there.

“I start everything I do in prayer. We started this movie in prayer, we started the first day of shooting and prayer. God is love, and without purpose, there’s no existence, so find your purpose in your life. Whatever it is you love, whatever you’re passionate about, and you don’t have to know what it is at [14]-years old, but true desire in the heart for anything good is God’s proof since beforehand to indicate that is yours already in the limitless realm of supply and demand. I always say anything good you want you can have for the taking, so pray about it.”

Movieguide®’s review of A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN reads: 

A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN is a lovely, well-acted movie about love, family, honor, pride, gratitude, and remembrance. It has equal amounts of joy, laughter and tears. Viewers will be greatly moved by the story this movie tells.

A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN, which is directed by Denzel Washington, has a strong Christian, moral worldview with strong patriotic moments. The movie honors Charles King’s tragic sacrifice for his country and his men. It’s also a tribute to all the Gold Star families out there who’ve suffered similar losses of a family member.

A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN is available now on DVD and streaming services. 

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

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Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.