Denzel Washington set the record straight about his job title.
Washington admitted he does not consider himself to be a Hollywood actor, despite winning two Academy Awards, a Tony Award and three Golden Globes.
“What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor? Myself, I’m from Mt. Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mt. Vernon actor,’” Washington said during an appearance on “CBS Sunday Morning.” The actor was seemingly referring to his New York hometown. “I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means.”
“Somebody who’s famous on film? A film actor, great success on film?” he further mused.
Washington, who is starring in the new Broadway production of “Othello,” considers himself to be a “stage actor.” The 70-year-old star will take the stage alongside Jake Gyllenhaal for the show, which has not been on Broadway since 1982.
“I’m a stage actor who does film; it’s not the other way around,” Washington explained. “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, nobody can help you.”
Washington began his career in theater after training at the American Conservatory Theater. He performed in a number of off-Broadway shows before landing his breakthrough role in the medical drama “St. Elsewhere” in 1982. He earned multiple nominations for his work on the show and eventually was able to break into film.
Washington is known for his movies such as “Fences,” “Training Day,” “The Book of Eli,” “Cry Freedom” and “Malcom X.”
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Washington recently became a minister. The actor was baptized by Bishop James Pullings Jr. at the Kelly Temple in New York City in December.
“It took a while, but I’m finally here…If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you,” Washington said, according to a video shared online. “The sky literally is the limit.”
Esther Renee Burns Pullings, the bishop’s wife, shared photos of the moment on Facebook.
“A beautiful service we had today at The Historic Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ,” she captioned the photos. “We witnessed our Bishop James Pullings Jr. baptizing now Minister Denzel Washington today To God Be The Glory!”
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Washington has criticized Hollywood before, noting people “can’t talk” about religion in the industry.
“When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I’ve been given by my lord and savior,” the “Gladiator II” star wrote for Esquire. “I’m unafraid.”
“I don’t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it – you can’t talk like that and win Oscars. You can’t talk like that and party. You can’t say that in this town,” Washington added.
“I’m free now. It’s not talked about in this town. It’s not talked about. It’s not talked about. It’s not fashionable. It’s not sexy. But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe. There’s no such thing called Hollywood anyway. What does that even mean? That to me means a street called Hollywood Boulevard,” he wrote.
