Denzel Washington has recently had a resurgence in his acting career after starring in Gladiator 2. The two-time Oscar winner for Best Actor also starred in the Othello Broadway play and has since clarified to interviewers that he’s not exactly a Hollywood star, though that could depend on what your definition is.
The Gladiator 2 actor has made the distinctions clear during a CBS interview. Bill Whitaker of CBS casually mentioned that there are a lot of “Hollywood actors and producers” in Broadway’s Othello theater show (opened on March 23), and that was when Denzel interrupted to wedge in his clarification.
According to Denzel Washington, 70, he still classifies himself as a theater actor despite winning two of the Academy Awards’ most prestigious accolades for an actor. Furthermore, Denzel Washington challenged the notion of what exactly a “Hollywood actor” means. These were his exact words:
“What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor? Myself, I’m from Mt. Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mt. Vernon actor. I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means. I know it’s a place?
I’m a stage actor who does film; it’s not the other way around. I did stage first. I learned how to act on stage, not on film. Movies are a filmmaker’s medium. You shoot it, and then you’re gone, and they cut together and add music and do all of that. Theater is an actor’s medium. The curtain goes up, and you’re on. Nobody can help you,” explains Denzel Washington, thanks to Buzzfeed for the transcript.
Meanwhile, Washington’s co-star on Othello, Jake Gyllenhaal, was prompted to agree with him, especially now that they’ve worked on one of the biggest Shakespearean classics meant for live theaters. Both actors have had their fair share of influential and award-winning Hollywood movies and roles.
Denzel Washington’s background in theater also very much explains how he’s different compared to actors who got their start directly from film, where there’s supposedly more room for error. Hence, Denzel Washington is determined to maintain that kind of dedication to acting.
Othello is Set to be a Milestone for Denzel Washington
Speaking of Othello, the Shakespearean classic has actually been absent on Broadway for more than four decades (since 1982). That’s why its return on Broadway is a huge deal, especially since Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal took the center stage. Moreover, this Othello was a new contemporary take set in the near future.
Such star power has somewhat justified Othello‘s $921 ticket pricing– for the best seats. Some seats only cost $338, which was still no pocket change for most people in the US. Othello director Kenny Leon also claimed that the theater show would be akin to seeing Beyonce live, hence the ticket prices. Consequently, 2025’s Othello is now the highest-grossing Broadway play in history.
Meanwhile, both Washington and Gyllenhaal were no doubt elated for their roles, with both of them further reinforcing their backgrounds as theater actors before they saw Hollywood fame.
“I’ve worked my whole career for this moment. This is a 48-year journey for me,” recalls Denzel Washington.
It appears his hard work has finally paid off in the original medium for acting. Just don’t call Denzel Washington a Hollywood star ever again.
