He doesn't seem too enthusiastic about talking about The Equalizer 2, in which he proves that at 63 he's still effective at appearing dangerous on screen.
On the other hand, Denzel Washington's eyes light up when he mentions his son John David, who at 34 has established himself as a movie star by starring in BlackKklansman, Spike Lee's new film, which has won the Grand Prix. Jury Prize at Cannes and has great possibilities in the race for awards.
The same thing happens when talking about Black Panther, a film that would have been impossible for him at the time when Washington was one of the most sought-after figures in Hollywood. In his fourth collaboration with Antoine Fuqua, he once again plays Robert McCall, a former hitman who is now dedicated to delivering justice with particularly violent methods, as a kind of superhero whose powers consist of knowing how to kill several villains in less than 30 seconds. using only what you find at hand in a room.
Why did it take so long to make a second part?
I guess because it takes time to write it. I was in no rush to play this character again. I don't know if they were waiting for me, but I guess they needed me to do it. And I didn't want to go back either.
What did the film have to have for you to participate?
The truth is that I did not participate in the development process. All credit goes to Richard Wenk, the screenwriter, and Todd Black, the producer. They managed to create a good story where the stakes are much higher. People say this one is better than the first one. In the first one you had to introduce the characters and that's why it was a little slower. On that occasion I loved working with Chloe Grace Moretz. She was 16 years old and looked into my eyes very deeply. And I asked him: what are you looking at?
How do you decide the roles?
I don't have a specific criterion, other than to say that I'm not going to do a third part of The equalizer because I just did it. Everything happens through the script. If I see something interesting, I move on. I shouldn't mention it, but that's what's happening to me right now with a project I'm talking about with Bob Zemeckis. We'll see what happens.
This is his fourth collaboration with Antoine Fuqua...
We have been successful working together and have a very special communication. It has happened to me with other directors like Spike Lee, Ed Week or Tony Scott, may he rest in peace. I am very loyal. Plus, they know when I want to be left alone, and vice versa. We don't talk much with Antoine. He's there filming and I'm here acting. He makes everything easier.
What was his last experience on Broadway with O'Neill's The Iceman Comes?
Fabulous. I love doing theater. It was my first love as an actor: the stage. I enjoy what I receive from the public, and neither cinema nor television gives you that, neither as a director nor as an actor. In the theater everything comes together: the actors, the lights, the stages, but the last element is the audience. And every night is different, and that changes the stakes. It is a discipline. The best experience for an actor is to work in the theater.
What is his secret to his longevity in Hollywood?
The truth is that I don't know what Hollywood is. It's a street where they have these stars on the ground and people go there to take photos. I just make movies.
Has it been hard to get where you are today?
It was not easy. There is no magic pill that guarantees success. You can do everything right and never get anywhere. To begin with, what is success? There are people who just want to be famous. Others, get rich. I'm only interested in being a good actor.
Spike Lee's film starring his son won the Grand Jury Prize. How did you take it?
He made me very happy, but not as happy as his mother. She's the one applauding, and I'm just standing behind. But I always knew that John David was a great actor since he was a child. He watched Glory Times over and over again. He knew almost all the characters' dialogues, and I had to give him a uniform. He would dress up and act in front of the television. Therefore, it is not a surprise. Plus, he's very good at imitating accents. He can play Jamaican and British and go from one to the other in a second.
But first he was an American football player. Did you convince him not to be an actor?
He didn't say he wanted to be an actor. He did well doing other things. Having gotten to play in the NFL is an impossible dream for many people. And having achieved what he has done as an actor, too. I wanted to play in the NFL myself, but I couldn't. I sent my kids to play sports because that's how I grew up. I was his basketball coach. But then his mother took charge of his education, and I was able to concentrate on my things.
