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Denzel Washington: The Real, the Regulars and the Bard

News
03 February 2016
Learn more about Denzel Washington's work.
Much Ado About Nothing Denzel Washington

What do you love most about Denzel Washington? There are so many reasons, it’s tough to pinpoint just one. During his extensive career, he’s racked up an impressive list of movies, sending our pulses racing in countless action movies, while moving us with his more dramatic work.

Since we’re celebrating the actor this February with the Denzel Washington Festival, sponsored by Carling Blue Label Beer, we thought we’d take a closer look at his working relationships, the surprising amount of real-life characters he’s played, and the all-American actor’s work with England’s most famous playwright.

Regular Direction

If you like Denzel Washington, it’s practically guaranteed you’ve watched one of his collaborations with director Tony Scott. The pair first worked together in 1995 while filming Crimson Tide, and made another four movies together before Scott’s tragic death in 2012.

However, there’s another director Washington has turned to time and again: Spike Lee. Their collaborations have been well received, but the most famous is probably Malcolm X, which even featured a cameo by Madiba.

These directing greats are not Washington’s only favourites. He’s worked more than once with Norman Jewison, Edward Zwick and Jonathan Demme, and is currently filming his third film with Antoine Fuqua, a remake of The Magnificent Seven.

Speaking Shakespeare

What you might not have expected is the frequency with which Washington does Shakespeare. Many may remember him as Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing; but his time on stage with the Bard has been far more prolific. He started with bit parts in Coriolanus in 1979, but has since tackled the weighty roles of Brutus in Julius Caesar and the royal title character himself in The Tragedy of Richard III.    

Keeping It Real

Amongst all the action heroes and military men Washington’s portrayed, there are a fair deal of real-life characters in the mix. One of the most well-known is probably Malcolm X, but there are many memorable men he’s brought to the screen, including one of South Africa's own. Check them out below:

Gallery

Tune into the Denzel Washington Festival on M-Net Movies Action+ and M-Net Movies Action this February.