"There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washinton"
is what the late Chadwick Boseman once said. We know what you're thinking, "Was Denzel Washington
in Black Panther? Because if he was, I sure missed it." Well, to set your mind at ease,
he did not appear in the Marvel movie and was not involved in making the film in any way. So,
aside from his Oscar Award-winning performances, what is so special about Denzel that the most
famous actors, including the great Tom Hanks, credit the magnitude of their career to this
star? How could the Wakanda Superhero possibly have not existed if it wasn't for Washington?
Well, before we get into all of that,
take a second to subscribe to the Rumour Juice channel and turn that little grey button red.
Before the Late Chadwick Boseman led the Wakanda Forever movement,
he was just a little kid with big dreams and no money to make it happen.
While studying at Howard University, the young and ambitious actor and a handful
of other students were accepted to study acting at Oxford University.
But without the funds to attend, they would have to pass up this life-changing opportunity.
Fortunately for Boseman, his mentor at the time, actress Phylicia Rashad,
had a friend in her corner who could change all of that for the young aspiring actor.
"I made a phone call to a friend of mine, and he called me back,
and we talked about it for about five minutes, and he said, 'Okay, I got this money," she said.
And that good friend was no one other than THEE Denzel Washington.
Imagine finding out that the person you looked up to believed in your dreams so much that they
were willing to pay whatever cost for you to reach them. Denzel's contribution is what that meant for
a young Boseman who grew up and never forgot what his role model did for him. The young actor had
made a promise to himself that he had to become successful enough to thank his hero in person.
During Washington's American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award evening, a successful
and thriving Chadwick finally got the opportunity to thank Denzel for changing his life.
"In the mind-numbing world we all live in, we need heroes, we need superheroes like Denzel
to remind us that the world, that we're all one people. That's your gift, sir.
You unite us, you inspire us, and I want to thank you for leading the way."
The touching words received nothing but an emotional
standing ovation from the man of the hour himself.
Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, Morgan Freeman and Jodie Foster are just a few of the names also
present to honour the actor. A fan who dedicated an entire podcast to the star, "Denzel Washington
is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period," also got to meet his idol for the very first time.
Washington is known for being an inspiration to many. Once touched by Denzel,
most actor's lives were never the same. The motivational star once said,
"It's not important what you become, or what you accomplish necessarily,
but it is important who you are and who you help and who, what you contribute to this world,
especially at this time. And it may be in front of the camera, and it may not."
And his life is proof of that. Washington was named after the same doctor that delivered his
father, and as fate would have it, just like doctors, Washington was born to help people.
And another actor who received help,
not financially this time, was the Forrest Gump actor who stole our hearts, Tom Hanks.
If anyone deserves the same praise of being one of the greatest actors of his time,
it's definitely Hanks. Yet, it seems that Hanks owes his success to Washington. In one of their
most Iconic films, Philadelphia, Tom experienced what it feels like to work with Denzel first hand.
Though Hank had been in the acting business for some time and given us classics like
Sleepless in Seattle, it was on the set of Philadelphia that the actor felt he learnt more
from his co-star than he had at any other point in his career. He said watching Denzel was, quote,
"like going to film school". And those lessons seem to have significantly impacted his career.
His phenomenal performance as a gay man struggling with Aids and discrimination
earned him his first Oscar award. And we have loved every single one of his roles ever since!
His work with Washington was his big step into the world of dramatic acting,
which led him to become one of the most well-respected actors of our time.
But the actor has not only touched the hearts of well-known people but someone as ordinary
as a security guard. For his directorial debut, Washington fought for the script of a security
guard at Sony Pictures to receive the financial backing it needed. The persistent actor agreed
to star in the project to sweeten the deal, which was finally released in 2002. Antwone Fisher was
a complete success and scored an impressive seventy-eight percent on rotten tomatoes.
But funny enough, Denzel never saw himself becoming an actor.
Growing up, young Denzel always wanted to pay due to his name by becoming a doctor.
This dream continued to grow until he went to college and realised it might not be his field.
"I started off in biology in college because I thought,
oh, okay, I know what I'm going to be, I'll be a doctor." the actor shared. "I try
biology and...I just remember the teacher sitting there, blah blah blah blah blah.
I'm like, what is he talking about? I'm not going to make it. I'm not going to stay awake."
But still, that was not the moment he decided to take the acting route.
Washington had other dreams. He studied Political Science and Journalism before
finally deciding to try his luck on the acting stage, which he only decided to do because he
was told that "you can get an easy and good grade in it", and that's what he wanted.
Luckily for him, acting gave him a lot more than an A-plus.
He found the one profession that allowed him to be everything he had ever hoped to be.
Ever since a woman with the gift of prophecy told him that he would touch millions,
Washington has always felt drawn to becoming a preacher.
And with his platform, the impactful actor has gone on to do exactly that!
"Well, right now, since I've been given this ability to act, this must be what Ruth Green
was talking about." Denzel shared, "I've had an opportunity to play great men and, through their
words, to preach. I take what talent I've been given seriously, and I want to use it for good."
Washington was also finally able to fulfil his medical aspiration when he was cast as
Dr Phillip Chandler, one of his first big roles on NBC's medical drama St. Elsewhere.
His other dreams of Journalism and Politics later
manifested in career-defining films like The Pelican Brief and Malcom X.
The Latter was one of Denzel's most iconic roles. He even named his youngest son Malcolm. The film
not only scored stellar reviews, but it also made him the only actor to ever film in Mecca.
Washington portrays the life of activist Malcolm X,
whose ideologies change through the Muslim faith.
Unfortunately, anyone who is not of the Muslim faith is forbidden from visiting the city,
so the production would not be able to film there. Luckily, changes were made. Washington worked with
an all Muslim crew, making him and his co-stars the only people to ever film in Mecca to this day.
Like the famously conservative country,
Washington also has his rules when it comes to the film industry.
"You want people to go, 'I can't wait to see him!' Not, you know,
'Oh, I see him everywhere...I think if you drink too much water, you'll drown. So you want
to keep some mystery, you know, you keep things quiet so that you build up to that next movie."
If you were wondering why you barely see the actor strutting around prompting any upcoming films,
now you know. Washington does not believe in self-promotion. If you're going to watch his
movies, it's because they are good! And not because of, quote, "how many likes you got.".
Outside of the acting world, Denzel keeps his private life VERY private.
This is why very few people know that he is happily married and a doting father of four.
And that this familiar face that has hit the film screens by storm is his firstborn son.
So aside from all the people he inspired, his son had a front-row seat to all the action.
Yet, being Denzel's son is not as glamorous as it sounds.
Afraid of living in his father's shadow, John David did not initially take the acting route.
The younger Washington was a professional football player for the St. Louis Rams,
but unfortunately, his last name made it hard for him to stay in the sports world.
"I literally had situations where [people] think I don't need my scholarship because
I'm Denzel's son. Well, I feel like I earned the scholarship. I worked hard,
I broke my ribs, I got concussions. I worked for that contract, even though I sat on the bench."
And sadly for him, things didn't get any easier when he decided to follow in his father's
footsteps by finally joining the acting world. "I don't even know if [people] see me as John David
yet. I'm still 'Denzel's son.' I'm always his son." But being the leading man in critically
acclaimed films like Tenet and Blakkklansman, the Malcolm and Mary actor has carved his own path.
Rather than letting the pressure of being Denzel's son get to him,
he has allowed his work to speak for itself. And it's nothing short of amazing! Who knows,
maybe we'll get a father and son film soon with both stars acting side by side.
Denzel Washington remains to be one of the greatest talents to grace the big screens,
but above all, he graced the hearts of many with his kindness. He continues to inspire his family,
acting colleagues and the rest of the world. Like the woman at his church told him,
"You're going to speak to millions of people... You're going to do great things!"
We hoped you enjoyed today's video, and thank you for choosing Rumour Juice.