The 2024-25 awards season has been both boring and chaotic. Chaotic because of how many people and performances got snubbed – not to mention Karla Sofia Gascon’s mess – and boring because I feel like this is one of those years where the Oscars are out of touch with what people are actually watching and talking about. Last year, we had two of the biggest films of the year going head to head (Oppenheimer and Barbie). This year, we’ve got a bunch of films that few people have even seen. Bizarrely, several major “movie stars” turned in fun, exciting performances and they all got snubbed. Denzel Washington was one of them – while Gladiator II was not a great movie, Denzel was amazing in it and he was having an absolute blast. Denzel is also arguably the greatest living American actor – why did they make a point of snubbing him? I don’t know. But he’s not taking it personally. He gave a somewhat terse interview to the New York Times and he was asked about the snub. Some highlights:
On the Oscar snub: “I was sitting there smiling, going: Look at you. On the day you didn’t get a nomination for an Oscar, you’re working on Othello on Broadway. Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset. Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that’s exciting.”
Why he loves going back to the stage: “I think that still gives me the greatest joy: acting onstage as opposed to acting in movies.”
Whether it feels risky to do Othello on stage: “In light of all that’s going on in our world, all that’s going on in our state, California, and our city specifically — it’s just a play. I’m grateful for the opportunity, but when put in perspective, it’s just a play.
Watching the Southern California fires: “Just as a spectator and just being amazed — the scope and devastation. And then hearing about a lot of people in our industry who’ve been affected. It’s unbelievable. [Whether it makes him want to move out of CA]: You mean like run? Nah, doesn’t make me want to live somewhere else.
He takes jobs for the money: “When I learned about my least favorite uncle, my Uncle Sam, that was the eye opener. I’m like, He takes what? That’s the reality of it, and a dollar is not a dollar. By the time agents, lawyer, business manager, Uncle Sam, everybody else gets finished with you, a dollar’s about 38 cents. So you’ve got to cobble those 38 cents together to make a real dollar. You’re asking me, Did I ever take a job for money? I’ve taken every job for money. There’s no job I’ve taken where I went: You guys just keep the money. I’m just so glad to be an actor. I don’t even want the money.
On his wife Pauletta: Yes [she’s an actor], and singer and concert pianist. Are you familiar with the Van Cliburn competition? My wife was a Van Cliburn competitor. Juilliard. North Carolina School of the Arts. I married up.”
If Denzel is going to do anything, it’s talk about how much he admires his wife and give her as much credit as possible. Their kids are like that too – I’ve seen John David deflect questions about his father by saying “AND my mother Pauletta” and talking a lot about his mother’s influence. Pauletta has always run that whole house. As for what Denzel says about the snub… like, he’s a grown up, he’s got other things on his plate, he’s not going to sulk or be childish about it. But the rest of us can sulk on his behalf! It’s flat-out bonkers that the Academy blanked him.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
