Something may have been lost in translation as Denzel Washington ended up having a very tense standoff with a photographer.
In a very public confrontation, Denzel Washington appeared to call out a photographer while he was attending the premiere of his movie Highest 2 Lowest at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19.
While walking with co-star A$AP Rocky, Washington was pulled on his suit jacket by one of the photographers.
This small act seemed to set everything off.
Speaking to the Mail Online, lip reader Jeremy Freeman commented on what he believes Washington said to the photographer when he confronted him.
Denzel Washington confronted a photographer after he tried to grab him (Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Turning to the photographers, according to Freeman, Washington appeared to say: “Hey, one – one more time, stop.
“Let me tell you – stop, stop – never put your hands on me again.”
Washington also points his finger in the face of the photographer who seemingly doesn’t see that the actor is serious, grinning ear to ear back at him.
Washington added: “I’m talking to you, stop, all right.”
Freeman also stated the photographer replied to Washington by saying ‘not allowed’ before laughing and adding: “Yes, yes, yes.”
But things didn’t seem to end there, clearly frustrating the actor further.
After the tense exchange, the photographer again grabs at Washington and appears to ask ‘can I take a picture?’, according to Freeman.
Washington seemingly tried to keep his temper in check, brushing off the grab and shouting back: “Stop, stop it, stop it. I mean it. Stop, stop it.”
The video of the moment has begun to spread on social media with many other people weighing in on the surprise encounter.
One person said: “He clearly said ‘don’t ever put your hands on me again’ and he did it again to provoke him into a moment. YUCK.”
People on social media defended Washington for hitting back at the photographer (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)
With another said: “I don’t get that stuff. These folks are around people all day, every day grabbing at them and asking them for stuff. Not a life I’d ever want, I see stuff like how Denzel reacted and I give him the total pass.”
A third joked: “Denzel ‘UNHAND ME’ Washington lol.”
Following the incident, Washington was handed an honorary Palme d’Or by frequent collaborator Spike Lee, which he said was a ‘total surprise’.
He said: “I’m a little emotional, but from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.
“You know, we’re just blessed beyond measure, I’m blessed beyond measure.”
UNILAD has contacted Denzel Washington’s representatives for a comment.
Featured Image Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
Washington is currently in France for the Cannes Film Festival alongside a series of other famous faces such as Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, Eva Longoria and Jennifer Lawrence.
The Hollywood legend is promoting his new movie, Highest 2 Lowest, which he stars in alongside A$AP Rocky and is directed by Spike Lee.
Washington was joined on the red carpet by A$AP and Lee ahead of the premiere of the movie last night (May 19), but things seemingly took a turn when The Equalizer star ended up having an apparent confrontation with a member of the paparazzi.
A lip reader has since revealed what they think the actor said to the photographer, with Washington supposedly urging him to ‘never put your hands on me again’ after the man grabbed his suit jacket.
Now, a body language expert was weighed in on the ordeal.
Speaking to UNILAD, Dr Beth Dawson shared: “This is a tense moment. At first glance, it appears that Denzel Washington is the one being aggressive because we see him pointing sharply at another man in the crowd.
“But the context reveals more. The man he’s pointing at is grinning broadly, his expression shows genuine amusement.
“His smile and direct eye contact are intended to provoke Denzel and he’s enjoying watching Denzel’s reaction.”
Denzel Washington didn’t take kindly to his suit being pulled (Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images)
Dr Dawson, who has a PhD in Communication Sciences, continued: “Denzel’s finger pointing gesture signals dominance and accusation. It’s a high-status move, designed to reclaim control and reassert boundaries.
“It is a response to what he feels is an intrusion. The man has touched Denzel, uninvited, while maintaining eye contact and laughing.
“The man who touched Denzel likely feels emboldened by the crowd; he knows there’s a limit to how far Denzel can go in response.
READ MORE:
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL’S RULE ON NUDITY COULD HAVE MAJOR IMPACT
EMMA STONE HAS PERFECT RESPONSE TO REPORTER WHO USED HER REAL NAME
“Denzel feels constrained in how he can defend himself because he knows he’s in public. Denzel’s body language evokes the image of a wild cat in a confined space. He turns on himself, almost pacing.
“His posture is alert: shoulders high and we see shallow breathing which indicates his nervous system is fully engaged.
The photographer seemed to find the whole thing funny (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
“The enclosure of the crowd heightens the sense of psychological and physical pressure, making the scene feel almost primal.”
Commenting on what Washington apparently said to the photographer, Dr Dawson described his sentiments as ‘calm, firm, and final’.
“In short, this is a textbook example of provocation escalating into a dominance challenge,” she went on to claim.
“The laughing man attempts to assert power through mockery and physical intrusion. Denzel’s response, though aggressive in tone and stance, is a form of controlled self-defence and it is territorial, constrained and instinctive.”
Featured Image Credit: Tristan Fewings/Getty
Topics: Denzel Washington, Cannes Film Festival, Celebrity, News
Netflix have added a ‘brutal’ Denzel Washington gangster thriller fan which some are calling his most underrated movie.
The film was only just recently added to Netflix and has already shot up to number four in the charts.
Starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, there is no doubt that this is an underrated classic.
Upon release, it received fantastic reviews, with an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and average of 7.8 on IMDB, some fans however still feel it isn’t given the flowers it is due.
Check out the trailer and see for yourself what fans are so excited about
The movie in question is called American Gangster, and it is directed by none other than the legend Ridley Scott.
It’s one of Scott’s lesser known films, you can’t help but look at the upcoming Gladiator 2 and wonder if Scott saw Washington and Russell Crowe stood together and went ‘you know what….’
The film came out in 2007 and has a crazy cast even beyond the two big names.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Idris Elba, RZA, Carla Gugino, Cuba Gooding Jr, and Ruby Dee, the cast is top to bottom stacked.
Nominated for two Oscars, the film isn’t exactly a hidden gem of sorts, but when Denzel’s greatest roles are brought up, this often is not in the conversation.
The late great critic Roger Ebert gave the film a perfect four out of four, but had high praise for another member of the cast rather than Denzel.
Washington anchors the movie with aplomb (Universal)
He said in his review: “This is an engrossing story, told smoothly and well, and Russell Crowe’s contribution is enormous (it’s not his fault his wife complains).
“Looking like a care-worn bulldog, his Richie Roberts studies for a law degree, remains inviolate in his ethical standards and just keeps plugging away, building his case.
“The film ends not with a Scarface-style shootout, but with Frank and Richie sitting down for a long, intelligent conversation, written by Zaillian to show two smart men who both know the score.”
Washington stars opposite Russell Crowe (Universal)
Another review, from David Stratton, said: “Best of all, there are top-flight performances from both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe who create interesting, rounded characters out of potential clichés.”
One thread on the subreddit r/movies debated his best roles, with one commenter pointing to American Gangster.
They said “I somehow slept on American Gangster when it first dropped but finally caught it last year and it was damn good.”
Another said: “American Gangster – IMO the most badass Denzel has ever been”.
American Gangster is available to watch on Netflix in the US now.
Featured Image Credit: Universal
Topics: Film and TV, Netflix, Denzel Washington
.png)
.png)
Is there anyone on the planet who dislikes Denzel Washington?
I don’t think there is.
Well, if you needed another reason to like him, you’ll get that here.
Way back in 2007, Glen Powell featured in Washington’s drama The Great Debaters, which he directed. A synopsis of the movie tells us it’s about a professor motivates his students to form the college’s first-ever debate team – which Powell is on.
At the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Powell tells Sharp that none of the reporters were interested in speaking to him, until Washington’s publicist persuades one camera crew to interview him.
But, what happened shaped the 35-year-old’s future.
Talking about how his career has blossomed recently, he told the magazine: “I’ve been doing this a long time, and this is the first time where I can definitely feel a shift.
Glen Powell credits Denzel Washington for his acting career (Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)
“I got to have a really amazing year where I promoted Anyone But You and Hit Man and Twisters, three movies I’m incredibly proud of, and I feel really grateful for this moment. But right now, I’m just excited to get back into acting, which is where I feel the most like myself.”
While he has not been nominated for any major awards on the back of his acting career, he is certainly flourishing and an Oscar nomination can’t be too far off – if his performance in Twisters (2024) is anything to go by, where he stars as a tornado-hunter, Tyler.
But it is all with thanks to Washington who helped usher him in the right direction.
Earlier on that night in 2007, Washington introduced the then 19-year-old to the talent agent, Ed Limato.
Both Washington and Lomato sat him down and told him he had to make the decision to quit school and life in Austin, Texas, and move to Hollywood.
How much of Powell’s ‘miracle’ career is down to Washington? (Raymond Hall/GC Images)
And that is what he did.
Speaking about it he said: “It’s just a miracle. Any time you can pay the bills and survive on acting, it’s a miracle. I am hyper aware of that.
“You never forget how people treated you. It’s why I feel this insane sense of gratitude right now. I don’t take any of this for granted — at all.”
So, is the actor we’re all seeing now in front of our screens down to Washington, or would he have made it on his own accord?
I’m not sure, but they make a pretty cool duo.
Featured Image Credit: Getty/Eric Charbonneau/Getty/Gotham
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, Hollywood, Denzel Washington
Personally, I’d consider a middle class person as someone who loves a Walmart, but maybe occasionally treats themselves to a Whole Foods.
Cate Blanchett, on the other hand, considers middle class as someone with millions of dollars to their name.
I think it’s safe to say we have differing opinions.
The movie star left fans confused when she described herself as ‘middle class’ during a recent press conference at the Cannes Film Festival, where she attended the premier of The Apprentice.
Cate Blanchett has a decades-long career in film. (Gisela Schober/Getty Images)
During the conference, Blanchett discussed her experience of working with refugee filmmakers and how important it is that they have space to tell their stories.
She acknowledged her own privilege as a white woman, but raised some eyebrows as she said: “I’m white, I’m privileged, I’m middle class and I think one can be accused of having a bit of a white saviour complex.”
“But to be perfectly honest, my interaction with refugees in the field and also in resettled environments has totally changed my perspective on the world and I’m utterly grateful for that,” Blanchett continued.
“And I think if you do have a platform, I want to be in dialogue with these people. I’ve met some extraordinary people with extraordinary creative talents and amazing perspectives.”
Though Blanchett did appear to be using her platform to try and raise awareness, many internet users were unable to move past her comment about being ‘middle class’.
With the help of a decades-long career in film which has led many to regard her as one of the greatest actors of her generation, Blanchett has an estimated net worth of $95 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Blanchett and her husband, Andrew Upton, also own multiple properties in different countries.
Blanchett was born in Australia and now lives in the UK. (Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic via Getty)
With that in mind, it’s no surprise some people were confused by Blanchett’s description of herself.
One person accused the actor of being ‘disconnected from reality’, while another wrote: “If she’s middle class..I’m definitely in the gutter.”
“I would like to be middle class too! Sign me up!,” another wrote.
However, some of Blanchett’s fans have argued that the actor may have been using the term as a way to represent heritage and family status, rather than the amount of money she has in the bank.
“Class and money are different. She might consider herself middle class because she isn’t royalty,” one X user posted.
Another agreed, writing: “She is speaking of her class not her bank balance. She isn’t upper class, even if she [does] makes billions.”
Blanchett, who is also a mom of four, now spends most of her time in the UK after moving from Melbourne.
