Denzel Washington doesn’t want to be known as a “Hollywood actor”: “I don’t know what that means”

nme.com:

Denzel Washington has stated he does not want to be defined as a “Hollywood actor”, claiming he “doesn’t know what that means”.The double Oscar winner is currently starring in Othello on Broadway alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and was interviewed on Sunday Morning in the US on March 30, where he was asked about the distinction between film and stage acting.“What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor?” he questioned. “Myself, I’m from Mt.

Vernon. I’m a Mt. Vernon actor. I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means. I know it’s a place.”When host Bill Whitaker suggested “film actor” might work better than “Hollywood actor”, Washington commented: “I’m a stage actor who does film.

It’s not the other way around. I did stage first, I learned how to act on stage, not on film.”In addition to his extensive film career, Washington is a highly celebrated stage actor, earning praise for his involvement in Broadway productions of August Wilson’s Fences in 2010 (he went on to direct and star in a film version in 2016), Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin In The Sun and Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh.Washington’s most recent big screen appearance was in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2, where he received widespread acclaim for his performance but was not nominated for an Oscar.

When asked if he felt snubbed, he replied: “Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’ve got – I don’t wanna say other fish to fry, but there’s a reality at this age.