Hollywood actor Denzel Washington, who has been nominated for the Oscars nine times and has won the coveted golden statue multiple times, recently opened up about his perspective on career milestones during the promotion of his new film “Highest 2 Lowest.” He admitted that he doesn’t place much importance on these accolades, stating that the decisions he makes in his acting career are not driven by the desire to win awards.
In an interview on the “Jake’s Takes” show, the 70-year-old Denzel Washington remarked, “I don’t act for the Oscars, I don’t care about that thing. I’ve been acting for a long time, sometimes I’ve won awards that I shouldn’t have, and sometimes I haven’t won when I should have.”
As a result, Denzel Washington has a unique perspective on the term “awards,” saying, “People give you awards, God rewards you.” He further stated, “I’m not interested in the Oscars. Someone asked me, ‘Where do you display your awards?’ Well, they’re just sitting next to another one. I’m not bragging; I’m just expressing how I feel. On my last day of life, the Oscars won’t mean anything to me.”
Earlier this year, Denzel Washington’s performance in “Gladiator II” did not receive a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, which was seen as a significant disappointment by many. However, he remained unfazed by this outcome. When asked about his feelings regarding this snub, he jokingly responded to the media, saying he is happy with everything he has done.
In addition to his indifference towards the Oscars, Denzel Washington has also expressed to his co-star Ethan Hawke from “Training Day” that, “It’s better not to win, losing is actually better.” Ethan Hawke recalled on Max’s show “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” that on the night he missed out on the Best Supporting Actor award at the Oscars, Denzel Washington leaned towards him in his seat and said something to him.
Denzel Washington, a two-time Oscar winner for “Glory” and “Training Day,” told Ethan Hawke, “You shouldn’t rely on awards to elevate your status, but rather make the award’s status elevate because of you.” Ethan likened this to competing alongside the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth, saying, “The Oscars carry more weight because Denzel Washington has won them.”