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AWARDS SEASON 2008
THE POPCORN REEL
AWARDS SEASON 2008
Denzel Washington Keeps Moving
By Omar P.L. Moore/The Popcorn Reel
January 1, 2008
"The loudest one in the room is the weakest
one in the room. I told you that."
The force of this line is being emphasized by
its speaker, Denzel Washington, who is neither loud nor weak as Frank Lucas in
Ridley Scott's "American Gangster", the epic hit drama on the real-life former
Harlem drug kingpin of the 1970's. Lucas's big screen portrayer,
Washington, who turned 53 on December 28, had a good 2007 on the big screen,
closing out the year with "The Great Debaters", a film inspired by the true tale
of the all-black Wiley College debate team in East Texas that went undefeated in
the mid-1930's. "Debaters" is the second film that he has directed, with
his first, "Antwone Fisher" coming five years ago. Both films tell of
young black men or women who struggle to find themselves and gain strength and
inspiration from the journeys that a tough life has thrown at them.
In "The Great Debaters", which also stars
Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, three members of Wiley's debate team
experience the harsh indignities and dangers that American racism has to offer
from Southern whites who wanted blacks to remain subservient, even as many
blacks in the South and elsewhere owned homes and land and businesses and were
self-educated and progressing in American society very nicely. The
director offers glimpses of middle-class black life in his latest film, which
has already hit the ground running early on at the box office in the U.S. and
Canada. Released by The Weinstein Company, the film is a moving and
uplifting look at the growth of people who kept working hard and believing in
the power of their voices to help effectuate change.
Vocal power, or at least vocal presence,
was something that Harvey Weinstein, the co-president of The Weinstein Company,
and an executive producer on Mr. Washington's film, felt that "The Great
Debaters" needed. Mr. Weinstein's theory was that to gain the widest
possible audience, the director himself would have to star in the film, which
last month was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Drama.
Starring in the film was an idea that Denzel Washington resisted, according to
Weinstein, who was quoted in Variety Magazine as saying to the executive,
"why don't you talk to my mom?" The former co-owner and president of
Miramax Films, who in Hollywood is known for his aggressive approach to
producing and greenlighting films, said that he spoke to the two-time Oscar
winner's mother, telling Mrs. Washington that her son "has got to play Tolson."
(Mel Tolson, an English professor at Wiley and rumored communist and organizer
of unions by night.) Then an accord was struck, and Messrs. Weinstein and
Washington met in the middle. The director needed more money to make "The
Great Debaters", and Weinstein gave him $4 million. Washington acted in
"Debaters" for free.
While compromise was reached between
director and producer, "Debaters" itself compromises little in terms of its time
and place. In some quarters, "Debaters" has been criticized by some for
being too standard. However, it is a story whose heralded debate team's
final opponent was changed by its screenwriter Robert Eisele. Before one
could say "hey presto!", the University of Southern California (USC) became
Harvard. Todd Black, who produced "Antwone Fisher" with Mr. Washington,
and was one of the producers of "Debaters", said in the film's production notes
that no documentary evidence could be found to show that Wiley ever debated
Harvard. "Nonetheless, we felt for our story Harvard best embodied Wiley's
incredible achievement . . . [i]n that era, there was much at stake when a black
college debated any white school, particularly one with the stature of Harvard,"
Black said. Jurnee Smollett, of "Eve's Bayou", Denzel Whitaker (who
appeared with the director in "Training Day" but is neither relation to he nor
Forest Whitaker) and Nate Parker are the principal debaters in the film, which
is also produced by Oprah Winfrey.
Denzel Washington gives praise to his
collaborators on "Debaters", and when reading the film's production notes one
can sense that making the film wasn't easy, but directing it may have been a
little easier for the actor in his sophomore try. "A lot of the team that
was here for this film was on my first movie, "Antwone Fisher". Phillippe
Rousselot, a brilliant cinematographer, Willie Burton, a two-time Academy
Award-winning sound mixer, Sharen Davis, a good friend and one of the top
costume designers in the business and my producing partner Todd Black, whom I
wouldn't have made the movie without." The esteemed actor also threw kudos
the way of David Bomba, calling him "a brilliant production designer."
Denzel Henry Washington, the actor born in Mount Vernon, New York, less than an
hour north of New York City, was once told by a seer, or schoolteacher or great
aunt that in the future he was going to say something very important to people
all over the world. In an interview on "60 Minutes" in 2003 he said that
he thought the person who made that prediction was crazy. Time has proven
him wrong. For 30 years, Washington has been on stage, screen and
television. Starting as Dr. Philip Chandler in the television series "St.
Elsewhere" in 1982 (a six-year stint) he made a very good impression, and the
year before he made his debut on the big screen in a forgettable comedy called
"Carbon Copy", he also played Malcolm X in the Off-Broadway play "When The
Chickens Come Home To Roost". Stage has been Mr. Washington's friend
several times in his career, as he played in the theater production "A Soldier's
Play", and reprised his role in that play in the big screen film directed by
Norman Jewison called "A Soldier's Story". (Mr. Washington would team up
again with Mr. Jewison in the 1999 film "The Hurricane", the actor's fourth
Oscar nomination, one many thought should have been rewarded with another
statuette on his mantle.)
While Denzel Washington keeps moving on, like any other actor he has had his
stutter steps on the big screen, namely comedies like "Critical Condition" with
Bob Hoskins, about a white man whose racist heart is implanted into Mr.
Washington's police officer character, and "The Preacher's Wife", alongside
Whitney Houston, and in the sci-fi drama "Virtuosity" with Russell Crowe.
Some of Washington's best performances have come in films that have been rarely
seen, like Steven Biko, the South African anti-apartheid activist in "Cry
Freedom", for which he was Oscar-nominated in the late 1980's, as the war
veteran Rubin in the British film "For Queen And Country" in 1988, and as John
in the HMO medical drama "John Q" (2002). Many often cite his
performance as human rights leader Malcolm X in Spike Lee's epic "Malcolm X"
(1992) as the film for which he should have won his second Oscar (after winning
his first Oscar for playing Trip, a rebel in the film "Glory", in 1990), but in
1993 he lost out to Al Pacino ("Scent Of A Woman".) Mr. Washington's
sister Lorice, an evangelist and holistic medicine dietician, has said that her
younger brother didn't mind losing to Mr. Pacino. If the sentiments about
his performance and not winning Oscar in Mr. Lee's film has ever troubled Mr.
Washington, he has never shown it. During various interviews on the
subject he has repeatedly said that he doesn't think about it, or declares that
it happened a long time ago. (Mr. Washington got his sister's name
mentioned in the 1993 film "Philadelphia" after approaching Jonathan Demme and
requesting to alter a line in the script for his attorney character Joe Miller
to instead say of his new born baby: "Her name's Lorice. I named her after
my sister." Demme's film also proved to be a wider family affair for the
Washingtons, as Pauletta Pearson, the actress, singer, songwriter, musician and
wife of Mr. Washington recorded a song for its motion picture soundtrack
entitled, "It's In Your Eyes".)
Contrary to popular opinion, Washington has played numerous characters who have
been on the wrong side of good, in Mr. Lee's films "Mo' Better Blues" (1990) and
"He Got Game" (1998), Greg Hoblit's "Fallen" (1998), Carl Franklin's "Out Of
Time" (2003), Tony Scott's "Man On Fire" (2004), Ridley Scott's "American
Gangster" (2007), and most notably in Antoine Fuqua's "Training Day" (2001) for
which he won his second Oscar, playing a complex rogue narcotics L.A.P.D.
detective who teaches a lesson to Ethan Hawke. Washington made comments
during his Oscar acceptance speech in 2002 about history reflecting that
"tonight, on this night, I am recognized as the best actor in the world," or
words to that effect. One can wonder whether this was a subtle jab at the
Academy for failing to recognize him on prior occasions, but Washington appeared
onstage generally proud of the moment of triumph, and not bitter at the Academy
in any way. (On that night, Halle Berry had won for her lead role in the
controversial "Monster's Ball" and Sidney Poitier had been honored with a
lifetime achievement award.)
But even with his performance as Frank Lucas in "American Gangster" it is
possible on January 22 (just three weeks from the date of this story) that Mr.
Washington may actually not be nominated for the role, in what has been a highly
competitive year for lead acting (Daniel Day-Lewis for "There Will Be Blood",
Frank Langella for "Starting Out In The Evening", George Clooney for "Michael
Clayton", Johnny Depp for "Sweeney Todd", Tom Hanks for "Charlie Wilson's War",
Javier Bardem for "No Country For Old Men", Tommy Lee Jones for "In The Valley
of Elah", James McAvoy for "Atonement", John Cusack for "Grace Is Gone", Russell
Crowe for "3:10 To Yuma", Will Smith for "I Am Legend", Emile Hirsch for "Into
The Wild", Christian Bale for "Rescue Dawn", Viggo Mortensen for "Eastern
Promises" and Don Cheadle for "Talk To Me", among others.)
Mr. Washington is a family man, eschewing the
bright lights of Hollywood after-parties and celebrity circuits to be with his
wife and family. His son John David plays for the National Football
League's St. Louis Rams team. At a gathering in Harlem in 2002 to
celebrate the DVD release of the tenth anniversary of "Malcolm X", a gathering
that included Wesley Snipes and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, the thespian admitted
that he prefers New York to the surreal aspects of Los Angeles, and always
longed to be back in New York to spend time with his family, which includes
twins Malcolm and Olivia, born in 1991. Malcolm was named after the human
rights leader Malcolm X.
He wrote a book in 2006 called A Hand To Guide Me, in which he
acknowledged and celebrated the significant and not-so significant people in
everyday public and private life that do the little things to help countless
others along in life, sometimes unheralded for their efforts. While
Washington has written about inspiring mentors, he has been cited by numerous
actors as a mentor or an idol, including Jamie Foxx (who said that he was told
by Washington to walk upright positively and stay focused in his acting), Will
Smith, Don Cheadle (whom he starred with in "Devil In A Blue Dress"), Josh
Brolin ("American Gangster" co-star) and Washington's three young co-stars on
"The Great Debaters", who he in effect passes a torch to in the film. "He
was very generous with his acting knowledge," said "Debaters" star Denzel
Whitaker, in an interview with The Popcorn Reel last month.
The last two years have been busy for
Washington. He was on the set of "Inside Man" in 2005, while also
squeezing in time to play Shakespearean traitor Brutus in "Julius Caesar" for a
two month-run on Broadway during the summer of that year. On weekends of
the play, if not on every single night of the play's run in New York, Mr.
Washington would patiently and graciously sign autographs for over 300 audience
members people for at least two hours following each performance.
Though the world has seen Denzel Washington perform on its stage for three
decades and he gives generously of his time to autograph-seeking fans who may
cross his path, it is not a secret that he isn't too fond of doing publicity.
He admits as much in one quote found on imdb.com: "I'm an actor, so that's
the bottom line. I'm not a marketing whatever. My strength does not
lie in marketing a product called 'Denzel.' That's not what I do. My
strength lies in playing a part and hopefully entertaining and affecting people
on some level. Now I'm not being naive. I know that marketing comes
into play when you're spending 50 or 60 million dollars of other people's money
to make a film. You have to be involved in marketing that product.
But the publicity gets to be boring. How many times can I tell the same
story? I understand the importance of doing publicity for a film, so I'm
willing to do that, but I don't want to sit around talking about myself.
That's not a great day for me. That's not my idea of fun."
As for family and his wife Pauletta he has also said (back in 1998): "She puts
up with me. I think, also, in a way the traveling helps. We're able
to travel together and also be apart sometimes. Not everybody gets to live
like that. Twenty years now. It's like you start to pat yourself on
the back when you look around you and you see that very few people have 20 years
into a marriage." On his acting and the mysteries of the craft he has
said: "I think it ruins movies when you know everything about how the movie was
made and put together. If you explain, it's like showing you the trick
before I show you the magic. Let me explain to you how it works. All
right, now come see the show. It's supposed to be magic. And being
an actor is about creating that magic." Tom Hanks, who won the first of
two lead actor Oscars in 1994, beginning with his role as an gay lawyer infected
with HIV-AIDS in "Philadelphia", has been quoted as saying that working with
Washington on that film was "like going to film school", adding that he "learned
more about acting from watching Denzel than from anyone else."
Speaking of magic, Washington has cited the experience of preparing to do the
whipping scene in Edward Zwick's "Glory" as a moment of spiritual visitation and
consultation. "And then I prayed to all the spirits. I said, 'Look
fellas, ladies,' and I'm talking about those who have been, and I said, 'Look I
don't know, I'm just rolling with you all. Just whatever happens, I'm
going. And I said are you with me? Come on!' I'm serious!
And I went out there and what hit me was, I'm in charge. Never put my head
down. This isn't the first time this has happened to me the character -
and in fact I had the guy build all the scars to put on my back - and I went out
there with an attitude that I'm going to take this and not fold. But it
hurt. And the tear was actually real. You know, you just allow it
and you're thankful for it. It's not technical. It's not science.
It's spirit." This spirit was probably the same kind that director Spike
Lee was convinced visited Denzel Washington during the filming of "Malcolm X".
For a long time Mr. Lee has told the story of when the actor was on the set
giving a speech as Malcolm during the human rights activist-leader's days as an
orator under the tutelage of Elijah Muhammad, saying that after the scripted
speech was over and he yelled "cut", Washington would continue with his
character's power and fire and brimstone speech for another minute or two, much
to the astonishment of other cast and crew members. When Washington
stopped, he said to Mr. Lee that he didn't know what just happened, adding,
"that wasn't me, Spike".
Washington's collaboration with Lee has been one of the signature big screen
partnerships in recent American films, although Washington has collaborated with
Edward Zwick three times ("Glory", "Courage Under Fire", "The Siege"), Tony
Scott three times ("Crimson Tide", "Man On Fire", "Deja Vu") and twice with Mr.
Jewison ("A Soldier's Story" and "The Hurricane") and Carl Franklin ("Devil In A
Blue Dress" and "Out Of Time".) He has also worked with director Mira Nair
in "Mississippi Masala" in 1994 and Robert Townsend in "The Mighty Quinn" in
1988. Over the last three calendar years (2005, 2006, 2007) Washington has
been working almost non-stop, with Mr. Lee on "Inside Man", with Tony Scott on "Deja
Vu" in New Orleans, with Mr. Scott's brother Ridley on "American Gangster", and
directing "The Great Debaters" during the early months of this year into the
mid-summer. By the time Washington begins work sometime next month on a
remake of "The Taking of Pelham 123" with John Travolta, the actor will have had
about seven months off. "Pelham" will mark Washington's fourth
collaboration with Tony Scott, which will equal the number of times he and Spike
Lee have worked together. (When Mr. Lee had aggressively sought the rights
for the Jackie Robinson biopic, which Robert Redford eventually secured, he had
Washington in mind as the Major League baseball legend.)
For all of Denzel Washington's industry over the years, whether as an author,
actor or director, he has what might be perceived as a blue-collar, lunch pail
attitude to his day job: "Acting is just a way of making a living, the
family is life."
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