Not showing interest in the Academy Awards.
In a candid interview with US magazine "Esquire" earlier this year, Denzel Washington, the acclaimed 70-year-old actor, opened up about his views on awards such as the Oscars. Despite having ten nominations and two wins under his belt, Washington asserted that he does not care about the Oscars or awards in general.
Washington, who has played the lead role in the new Spike Lee film "Highest 2 Lowest" and won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1990 for the drama "Glory", and his second Oscar and the Best Actor award in 2002 for his role in "Training Day", shared that he doesn’t do his work for awards but for the craft and intrinsic rewards. He stated, "I don’t do it for Oscars. I really don’t care about that kind of stuff," and further emphasized, "Man gives the award. God gives the reward."
The actor has been in situations where he didn't win an award he thought he should have, such as in 2000 for "The Hurricane", and in 1993 for "Malcolm X", where he lost to Al Pacino and Anthony Hopkins respectively. He has also been in situations where he won an award he didn't deserve. Washington's detachment from the idea that awards are definitive measures of talent or worth is evident in his casual attitude towards his trophies, jokingly saying, "next to the other one," when asked where he keeps his Oscars.
Despite his occasional feelings of self-pity and bitterness about missed Oscars, Washington maintains that awards like the Oscars are not the ultimate goal or measure in his career. His motivation comes from his passion for acting and the deeper rewards that come from the work itself. "Highest 2 Lowest", which premiered at Cannes in May and will be available on the Apple TV+ streaming service from September 5, is a testament to Washington's enduring love for the craft.
[1] Denzel Washington expresses his views on awards in a 2022 interview with US magazine "Esquire". [2] Denzel Washington's casual attitude towards his Oscars is highlighted in the same interview. [3] Denzel Washington's belief that God gives the ultimate reward is also discussed in the interview. [4] Denzel Washington's acting roles and Oscar wins are mentioned in the article. [5] Denzel Washington's motivation for acting and his views on awards are summarized in the final paragraph.
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