Actor Denzel Washington, in recent interviews to promote his new movie, “Highest 2 Lowest,” sounded off on ‘cancel culture’ and fame. During the conversation with Complex News’ Jillian Hardeman-Webb, he was asked whether he cared about being canceled.
“What made public support so important to begin with? You can’t be canceled if you haven’t signed up,” Washington said.
When it comes to social media followers, which Hardeman-Webb called the ‘new currency,’ Washington said, “You can’t lead and follow at the same time.”
“I don’t follow anybody. I follow the heavenly spirit,” Washington said. “I follow God, I don’t follow man. I have faith in God. I have hope in man, but look around — it ain’t working out so well.”
Washington has expressed similar sentiments during other press appearances as well. Speaking on Jake’s Takes, Washington said he also doesn’t care about winning another Academy Award.
“I don’t do it for Oscars,” he said. “I really don’t care about that kind of stuff.”
He added that while “Man gives the award, God gives the reward.”
Washington has won two Oscars, one for best supporting actor in “Glory,” and another for best actor in “Training Day.”
“People will ask me, well, where do you keep it? I say, next to the other one,” Washington said. “I’m not bragging. I’m just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, it ain’t gon’ do me a bit of good.”
These views also extend to sports. In a recent Sports Illustrated interview, Washington said the industry has become a “world of opinionaires.”
“That’s what I call them, ‘opinionaires,” Washington said. “They’re on all the shows, a bunch of the guys, a couple that have played, but most of them who haven’t,who have an opinion about what something should be, when they haven’t done it. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, talk about those who can.”
“Highest 2 Lowest” came out in theaters Friday,available to stream on Apple TV+ Sept. 5. It currently has a 90% critic rating from Rotten Tomatoes.
