Denzel Washington

There were a lot of takes. We worked on those fight scenes for a month. They were well-choreographed, and in fact, there's one scene where i think I fight 15 different guys at once - we actually worked it so I could fight 15 guys at one time! I did ninety percent, I don't know what percent, my own stunts, the stuntmen didn't have to do as much, but that was mostly me.

Rubin was a great friend, and his partner (who helped him in the last years of his life, as I did, as well) brought me a great gift. I was doing a play on Broadway, and he brought me Rubin's midway championship belt that he won in 1963. So that's a prized possession of mine that I have in my house. He was a dear, dear person.

Hmm. I don't know! the first thing that came into my mind was a panther, but I can't think of a favorite. Probably something in the cat family.

A leopard. A cheetah.

Well, he's a great actor, and one of the few actors that can do serious drama, and can do comedy. And it was a joy and a pleasure to work with him. That was many moons ago. I would love to work with him again. I think he's on Broadway again? A great actor. And a nice man.

I spent a lot of time with Frank. We rode all around Harlem. He'd come to the house all the time, telling me about his past and the business he was in, the regrets that he has. We spent a lot of time together.

Never saw the show! Never seen it.

Yes I did! I had the opportunity to go out on a sub, a real sub, and it's a lot smaller than you think. That's the great thing about my job, I get to be a boxer one day, a submarine captain the next, or in The Equalizer, somebody who takes things into their own hands.

Well, one of the differences, with alcohol, it was American-based, so we had, more, I guess, control over the flow (no pun intended). The drug trade is a whole different animal. First of all, there wouldn't be a drug trade without a customer. And there are a lot of customers. And it's an international issue, for the most part. I guess a lot of marijuana is grown in the United States... I guess we'd have to track the statistics in Colorado and see if marijuana-related crime has gone up or down, it's a good guinea pig for that.

Wow. Well, when I was little, you know, when I was a teenager, I was watching a lot of black exploitation, and Sidney Poitier... I didn't actually watch a lot of movies when I was a young kid. My father was a minister and I wasn't allowed to watch a lot of movies, so I didn't watch a lot of movies until my young adult years, which was at the height of the "blacksploitation" era, so Ron O'Neill, Richard Roundtree, SHAFT, those are the movies I dug when I was a teenager. Three the Hard Way, which we called three-fifty the hard way, because that's how long ago it was, it only cost $3.50...

I actually don't hang out with any celebrities. My closest friends are old friends. And my real close friends, none of them are actors. And you know, some I've known since before I was an actor, and some since, but when you say "friends" - what's the definition of friends? Most of my close friends are old friends.

I kept some swords from Book of Eli, sometimes I keep the costumes - I kept my glasses and hat from MALCOLM X. I did a play on Broadway called Fences, where i played an old baseball player, and i kept the bat. Trying to think of what else I got... those are things I can think off the top of my head. I have the tailor-made suits I wore in Training Day, I have those and the leather jacket. I go home with something.

Well, I'd like to think that I, you know, try to do the right thing. I don't emulate the character that I'm playing, this is life, I don't say "Oh, what would Robert McCall do" -but there's a part of me in every role i play. And there's things you learn, not just from shooting the movie, but also from the experience with the people you shoot the movie with. There are lessons learned from shooting movies, but I couldn't give you a specific example.

Well, that film was really fun for me, because I've been a coach most of my life. I grew up in the Boys & Girls club, and I started coaching when I was as young as 12 - the coach quit, so they made me the coach at 12, and the kids were like 10, but I guess i had that ability... I really get a lot of pleasure out of seeing people do well. So that role, for me, was a lot of fun- although he was a tough guy. But I was living out one of my coaching fantasies, I guess! We all think, when we watch TV, that we could do a better job than whoever's on TV...

A onesie? No, I don't wear pajamas!

Well, I turned down the movie SEVEN - but then when I saw it, I thought "Man, I made a mistake!" But it still had Brad Pitt!

Right now - I don't know if I have a favorite, but Proverbs is always great. Because you can apply it. Right now, this is my 2.5, almost 3rd time, reading the Bible cover to cover. I'm in the book of Ezekiel right now, a lotta drama going on. Proverbs is always a good chapter, a good book, because there are always some gems in there that you can apply. Chronicles, also.

I definitely have, you know? And that's something I'm always on the lookout for. Yes, absolutely want to do more. I actually have a script for a remake of UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT that Will Smith wants to put together, that's been written and that we're talking about. You can hit Will up and ask him what he's waiting for.

Well, you know, I think it's something that affects us all, you know? If not first person, then someone in the family. But it was written by a guy who's been, I guess, sober for 15, 20 years, and directed by someone who's been sober for 20 years, so it was written very specifically, and really good scripts are hard to come by. Like SEVEN! So when I read it, I just knew, wow, this one is good. It's strong, but it's also very good. And I had to be a part of it.

Oooh! Cherry Vanilla! If I had to pick 3: Cherry Vanilla is first. But then either Chocolate or Butter Pecan, Haagen-Daaz, or Mister Softee for those in New York, small cone. ORIGINAL Mister Softee, not the fake-out trucks! Mister Soft! Master Softee! They got 'em in New York! no, the original Mister Softee. Gotta be very specific.

It comes from the inside. Think good thoughts, be positive. I'll send you the number of my dentist...but think good thoughts. It starts in your heart.

I would like to! I have a project that I may direct in the next probably two years.

I want to get back to it. But it takes a big chunk of time, you have to commit a year and a half, sometimes two years to it, so I have to make sure all my ducks are in order to do that. But yes, I do have a film I am thinking about directing.

I had a chicken caesar salad. With croutons!

MEOW!

Well, you know, I don't know if it's show business that has a monopoly on divorce, it's just that you hear about it. I don't know what statistics are, or I don't know if people in show business have a higher rate of divorce, but I just think that you have to work at it. Not give up on each other. It's a commitment. It's not all the honeymoon, it doesn't last forever, so you work at it. And hopefully you're good friends first, that might help! Sometimes people get married for the right reasons. But I don't know that it's any higher in Hollywood... not necessarily. It's talked about, it's news, and "celebrities" make the news, so you hear about it more. I wonder if they ever did a comparison by profession, you know, bankers, accountants, actors, doctors, I wonder where show business would land, I don't think it would be at the top... marriage counselors! haha! They probably know better, right?

Yes, but I would never say! Because that wouldn't be fair to the people that made the movie. And then there are films that I don't like, and then someone will come up to me and say it's their favorite movie. The movies belong to the people. You make them and you put them out there. For me, I love the process of making films. For me, my favorite film is always my next one.

She's great. She's a wonderful young actress, and a great young lady, very talented, and she's already becoming a big star, we had a good time and she is very professional and very talented.

Hmmm. I don't know? Trying to think of something... I do love classical music. Hopefully that wouldn't surprise people! I'm a closet comedian. Hahaha! I have a quick wit, I don't know if I could do jokes, but i'm a wise guy (not in the Italian sense).

Embarrassing. I mean, come on... alive? Embarrassing. I was like, come on now. And then when they pick the next person, are you like, second now? Is it just one year, and then you're what - it's like a Used Car, used Sexiest Man Alive dealership? The Almost Sexiest Man alive dealership? Who's the sexiest man now, Adam Levine? He sits next to me at the Laker Games. He's on the Voice? Who's this year's? It's November when they announce it... Can't you be the sexiest man for 2 years running? ALIVE... that's a mouthful... sexiest man alive. I didn't give the title to Clooney, they take it from you! I'm NEVER going to relinquish the title. I'm STILL the Sexiest Man Alive.

Make sure you write: I'm joking.

That's a tough one. You know, I hate to take a look out the window and think I could jump out like Superman, like Clark... hmmm, I always dug Thor in the comic books. Somewhere between Superman and Thor.

But you know who I really dug? When I was on vacation a few years back, and I sat, and I said I'm going to watch The Incredibles. MAN that is one of my favorite movies of all time now!

Did you ever see INCREDIBLES? I love that movie!

Good genes. My mother is... maybe I shouldn't say her age. I come from a good gene pool. When I was young-young, it took a long time for me to be able to get into clubs, and my oldest daughter, she's mid-twenties now, she looks twelve or thirteen, so I think it's just genetics. And exercise, and eating right, but you know - Father Time is undefeated.

Tony was the best. You know? Tony would, he would curse one second, and cry the next. He wore his heart outside of his shirt. You knew how he felt. He was a very passionate and great filmmaker. Totally unafraid. And I really miss him. I just put a picture up, of him, in my room, in my study in my house, and I actually had to cover it up because it was too difficult to look at him. It's almost like he was looking at the camera, like he was looking at me, and I just really miss him.

If anybody out there is struggling - please seek help. Don't take your own life in your hands. or if you know someone whom you think is struggling, then don't let it be said that you didn't do all you could do to help them.

The next James Bond? They better hurry up! Yes I would! Who's doing James Bond now..Daniel Craig! Did they shoot another one? Everybody should tweet Denzel is James Bond! Send it to the studio! We start the Denzel is Bond campaign today!

James Washington. Denzel Bond!

Didn't they do the Green Lantern? With Ryan Reynolds! Too late! Green Lantern Returns? Isn't there a comic book, the Black Panther or something?

You know, I don't really look at myself. I watch the movies ONCE so that I know what I'm talking about, but I don't really study them... I'm more excited about what I'm going to do, than what I've done. I don't really analyze. I've said it earlier, but movies belong to the people, so movies that I don't think were as good, people have said it's their favorite one of mine, I don't grade them, I don't rate them. Plus it wouldn't be fair to the filmmaker.

I remember sitting in a screening - I forgot what movie it was - I sat there in a big audience, and I thought "Oh man, this is my work, this is terrible." And then as the lights went up, people were coming up to me saying "Wow, this is the best work you've ever done" and i was like "Thank you, I knew that..." You never know!

The best they can! Given the circumstances. I will make a bold prediction: I predict the Lakers will be in the playoffs this year. IF Kobe can remain healthy.

Only if he's healthy. Obviously if he's not they don't stand a chance.

I think that it's gotten a little better - hopefully for women, although they still lag behind. And I achieve not being typecast - the most important thing I've done to shape my career is not taking certain films. I refused to be pigeonholed, especially early on - I tell young actors, as was told to ME by a great actor - the first 4 or 5 films that you do will determine how you are perceived in this business, so sometimes you have to say no. So I said no early on a lot, and left a lot of money on the table, because I didn't want to compromise. I tell young actors "if you don't feel comfortable doing it, don't do it" - sometimes it's not easy, to walk away from the money.

It was the University of Pennsylvania. And I need to go look at that speech again myself, you know?

But don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid.

If you're passionate about something, then do what you love. Not what you think you have to do. There's life, and then there's making a living. And life is short, so you want to feel passionate about whatever it is you do in life. And sometimes it requires great sacrifice, or you may not be as successful in some people's eyes, financially or otherwise. But do what you love, what you're passionate about.

And I don't have a favorite. I would never pick one, you know. And people ask me what my favorite movie is, I always say my next one, because I enjoy making the movie - each experience is different. And you may have, sometimes it's the character, sometimes it's the movie itself, sometimes it's the people you met, sometimes it's the filmmaker - I couldn't dare pick just one. I remember when I landed my first role, in a movie called Carbon Copy - and even before that, it was a TV movie, because I was still in college, and I landed a role in a TV movie called Wilma, I played a boyfriend who became her husband, and I couldn't believe it. You know, when you're young, when you're starting out, it's still thrilling but not quite like that. Wilma Rudolph was the fastest woman in the olympics in the 1960's. And probably faster than 90% of the guys too.

I'm glad you asked that. I'm not sure I said that. I said "I don't have" - what I was talking about when I said that is that my closest friends aren't movie star friends, not that i don't WANT movie star friends. And it depends on your definition of the word "Friend." My close friends are old friends, and none of them happen to be actors. I didn't mean that to say that I wouldn't befriend someone because they were an actor. I just, you know, my close friends are old friends. And it also depends on the word friends, and close friends. I have about 2, 3, 4 close friends. And a couple of them I've known since before I was an actor. I guess it sounded like a catchy thing to what the person wanted to say, and also most movie stars or successful actors are busy, so someone's off shooting something else while I'm shooting somewhere else... but it's never been my nature to make fast friends that I could truly call my friends.

Now a very, very good friend of mine is a musician. Lenny Kravitz. Wait, he just did an AMA? That's CRAZY. Did you mention to him that you were talking to me? That is crazy. So I got a superstar friend! Not a movie star friend but a rockstar! But it just so happens that none of my close friends are movie stars, for whatever reason, not because I didn't want them to be. If it was someone I knew from a long time ago, and they became a movie star, I wouldn't say that I wouldn't want them to be my friend anymore just because they became a movie star.

You know what? I'm on a Stanley Kubrick trip right now. I've just been watchin' all of his films. I watched FULL METAL JACKET the other day, CLOCKWORK ORANGE, I've always been a fan of Scorsese, but I've sort of been on a Kubrick trip of late. I don't know why. In the next couple of years, I think I mentioned I'm going to direct a film, so I've started to put that hat on and watch how other filmmakers put together their movies. Kubrick was a genius. And simple. I was amazed at how simple his shot selection was. He knew exactly where to put the camera in the right place, it didn't feel like it's been filmed, it feels like reality.

Oh, it was great. He was just such a sweet, nice man. A gentle person. And really gave me a lot of confidence at a young age. And that was my first Academy Award nomination, was Cry Freedom. Just a wonderful human being as well as filmmaker.

I think he's even ROUGHER! He's dangerous! I think he was an ex-Marine. Just a very quiet guy, but you just never KNEW if he was going to explode, I don't mean that in a bad way, but just a man's man. A strong, strong guy. And just bowed out quietly. Like "Okay, I'm done." And without any fanfare, gone.

Oh, I dug it! I got a chance to work with Delta airlines, I got in their flight simulators - we simulated takeoffs, not landings, because we were crashing the plane anyways... like I said, I have a great job. I get to be a pilot one day, Malcolm X the next, I get to drive a train (which I got to learn on UNSTOPPABLE - I drove a train for 40 miles or something, you don't have to turn! all you gotta do is follow the lights and keep the speed right and it's a drill).

Climbing on top of the train was crazy.

I enjoyed, actually - there's a big speech I make at the end, where everybody's walking out on me - King John ain't got nothing on me speech. That section was interesting. And doing the research, because i got to spend a lot of time with Crips and Bloods, and kind of get under the surface and find out what they're about and all that kind of stuff.

1) Well, when my children - I first returned, I did a Shakespeare in the park, back in 1990, and then I was gone for 15 years until 2005. I did Julius Caesar. And the main reason was because you do 8 shows a week in New York, and I couldn't commute to LA. I didn't want to be away from my wife and my children for that long period of time in their lives, it's 5, 6 months. So until they got old enough, I didn't do any Broadway shows, but as of 2005, I've done 3 in the last few years - in 2010, I did FENCES, and I just finished A RAISIN IN THE SUN. And in the next 3 or 4 years, I plan to go back, if not sooner.

2) I'd fight it to the end. I'm not going to give in. So I wouldn't even be thinking of a final meal. That would mean I gave up. If I'm innocent, I'm going kicking and screaming the whole way. My final meal would be whomever's trying to put the handcuffs on me!

1) Oh, great. Tom is the best. Tom is the funniest, and most talented, I think I've ever worked with, one of the most. Just a great talent, and obviously, the world knows that.

2) Everything. I go from classical to NAS to whatever, Jay-Z, to R&B, you know. Sometimes I just put my iPod - I have multiple iPods with all kinds of crazy music on them - I might go from Led Zeppelin to Rachmaninoff - just all over the place when it comes to music. And it depends what mood I'm in -if I'm on my way to the gym, I want something up-tempo. I like 1970's music, Earth Wind & Fire. A lot of hiphop.

3) No, I haven't, and I would love to go. Are you inviting me? Meet me at the airport! Pick me up at the airport!

Well, they're sort of all intertwined. As an actor, just being able to portray the different roles, to walk into these different lives, you know? Like this guy in The Equalizer, or Malcolm X, or to do something silly - as a director, to just collaborate and put great talent around you, not just the actors but cinematographers, editors, music, it's a total collaboration with every aspect of the filmmaking process. And the producer part comes into play with both of them. As an actor, you're producing a character. As a director, you're producing a film! You're making a film. And then there's different kinds of producers - there are creative producers, I look at myself as one. There are producers that go out and raise the money (I'm not that guy). There are people who are very good at that. I didn't have to go out and raise the money to make the films.

Yes, the issue was compelling, but it was a job. A good job! James Farentino.

Well, it has other aspects. He suffers from OCD. It's not just an action movie. It's hard to explain. You gotta go see it to find out.

Oh man. On a boat. Somewhere on the water. Gotta be somewhere near the water. By the water, in the water, on the water.

oOh-wee. I like a good omelet. When I feel like being a slob, I love french toast. But I like a great omelet. And I like a simple breakfast, a little diner, with bacon and eggs and hash browns, some real good greasy funky hash browns, a little OJ, a cup of coffee, I'm good.

Yeah, I would! I mean, I like them. Yes. Yes I would. Nobody's asked me!

But I definitely would. When I was a kid, THE EXORCIST scared the bejeezus out of me. That was a crazy movie. Yeah, I'd love to do a horror movie. And why does the girl always fall down in front of the monster? She always trips and falls JUST in time for the monster to get her. What's up with that? Maybe that's just the old movies. Maybe she doesn't fall down as much any more.

HMMMM.

It would have to be some kind of a... my son used to sing I BELIEVE I CAN FLY, when he was little, and he couldn't say the words, and he would say "I BEWEEV I CAN FAWY." You know? All we had to do was start the song, and he would just start singing - "I Beweev I can touch the sky!"

I don't play video games!

Oooh! The Bible.

Ahaha! I don't know! I don't know that I use any - not regularly. I'll be back. Was it Butch Cassidy where they kept saying Who are those guys? I'm trying to think if there's anything I say from my own movies...

Fun. Nice guy. Really, really good guy. He's my neighbor now! He's always got like 15 things working. He's sellin' water, he's the most hustling guy I've ever met, whatever you need he's got it, you can watch that show, Wahlburgers. I watch that show. I like Mom. And I like his brother that owns the burgers, he's a real regular guy, I like him. They take care of mom, they seem like a real tight family that talk about how they didn't have enough to eat in Baahston.

One has to recognize one's limitations.

In my mind, I'm a great singer. For about 3 seconds.

I'll let you know when I find out! But thank you.

A horse-sized duck? Or 100 little horses? I want the horse-sized duck so if I win, I can cook him. The duck's gotta go.

Well, I think I talk about boxing, I like to box. I don't have a lot of hobbies... My sports days are over, but I still box. And I've been fortunate to live through my kids through athletics, I had a son who played in the NFL, he's an actor now, he's starring in a new series for HBO called "Ballers" about football players. He co-stars with The Rock! So Look for him on HBO! I can hear him now, Dad, don't say that... but I'm a proud poppa, of all my children.

Dogs. Dogs.

Cats, man, they're too independent. They piss me off. they play when they want, and then they turn their back on you. Dogs, you throw the ball, and they bring it back, tongue hanging out, tail wagging. Cats are like "Not right now, too busy." Definitely a dog man.

Except when it comes to cleaning up after them! Cats win that!

Hmmm. I love the Italian accent, because it sounds like music. Everything ends with an O. Difficult, but I like the French accent. But then again, I like... Spanish accent, I like the Latin accent. I like Italian, I like the way they sing their words.

Because my father's name is Denzel!

Actually, it's pronounced Denzel, and I had to pronounce it Den-ZELL so that I could tell I was being called - so if she was calling for "Denzel" my dad would show up, and if she was calling for "Den-ZELL," then I would respond. Denzel Hayes Washington Junior. So I'm Denzel. But I'm a junior.

Eminem, yes, and I like Nas, and Jay-Z. Eminem and NAS are real wordsmiths. So yes, I'm DEFINITELY an Eminem fan. Where's he been? Where you been Eminem?

I had a weird dream last night! I was being chased by something bad, and I woke up and I was like "Man, what was that?" I had the Running Man dream, my wife told me "You were running last night" So I don't know if I was running away from something or running towards something. She says sometimes I run.

Something with grapefruit!

No, that was just happening in the moment. And it was just one of those moments, and the director captured it. I don't think it happened again, I think it happened all in one take. And the whip was wet and it was starting to hurt. So some of that was real. I was telling the guy "don't be a chump," and he started to hit me hard, but it was just acting.

I like 'em all! You know? I like switching it up. You see, sometimes it might seem I do more action, especially in the last 2-3 years, because I do plays - I do really dramatic roles onstage, like I did a play called FENCES, in fact i won the Tony award for FENCES, and i Just finished a really dramatic role for RAISIN IN THE SUN. And next year we're shooting a cowboy movie, a Western. I start riding horses the first day of October! I'll be ridin' for 5 months in preparation. See what I mean? I get to ride trains, fly planes, ride horses, AND they pay me?!

HA! I just did it in instinctively! I didn't prepare for it at all! I was trying to dance as bad as I could. You must be an older person, if you knew that was The Popeye. Yeahhhh, I haven't heard that, man that is going back. But that's what they called that dance!

How old are you?

Actually, that could be interesting.

I won't say yes but that could happen one day.

Oh, I love it! I do it all the time. I just love some fresh juices in my refrigerator at home. Usually with fresh juices they don't last long, but I couldn't drink them all when I came to Miami, I hope they last until I get home. And when I hit the gym, when I leave the gym, I stop by the health spot to get my combo-carrot-greens, you gotta throw an apple in there to add some taste!

Oh - if you're a guy - two phrases. One is "yes, dear" and the other is "honey, you're right." Be patient. Be good friends first. And stick together. You gotta work at it. I've been married 31 years. It's not all a honeymoon, it's not all flowers and roses, but if you're friends and partners and committed, you'll be okay. And everybody's got advice for you - don't listen.

Well, see, I'm from New York so I like a classic pizza. I like 'em basic, good, italian, thin-crust pizza. I'll have Chicago deep-dish every now and then, but I'm from New York, so a real thin crust pizza. No pineapple and chicken, i don't know what that is, it's a casserole - pizza is mozzarella, tomatoes, you gotta do it the right way. I'm a pizza snob.

That's a good question! I need to do that!

It's not too late! They're still on right? They've been on like 30 years, right?

Call NBC and tell them Denzel needs to host!

Coffee! I make my own, every morning. Fresh beans, crush the beans, my wife gets all the beans, she's got like 20 bags in the freezer and I make my coffee. That's my idea of cooking, that's all I cook, coffee.

I have been through Halifax, I think. But I've never spent any time there. Looks like it's nice, but to be honest, haven't spent any time there. And I am on my way to Toronto in about 45 minutes! I'll let you know when I get there. But we did The Hurricane there, John Q, we filmed the Bone Collector in Montreal.. I want to hit Calgary, go to Western Canada. I like Canadians, they're very civilized.