With “The Magnificent Seven” opening today, I thought we’d go back in time and enjoy 3 different and great Denzel Washington interviews, all video-taped.
The first, from 2008, is a wonderful conversation between Washington and Spike Lee, in which they reminisce on the 4 projects they’d worked together on as director and actor up until then, and more – including the lack of black executives at the studio level with greenlight power, Washington realizing that his stock was starting to drop (interesting that he saw this and even admitted to it back then) and his desire to quit acting and strictly direct; something he’s done previously, and is doing again with the upcoming “Fences” film which will be out this December.
They also talk about whether or not blacks in Hollywood had made progress back then, as well as the lack of roles for black women.
At the end of the chat, Spike expresses his hope that they work together again soon. That was in 2008. Let’s hope we see another Denzel/Spike teaming sooner than later.
It’s a good watch and just over 10-minutes long (watch it and continue to the next interview):
The second interview took place 2 years later, in April 2010, and features Washington with Viola Davis this time, as the two engage in a conversation with Lynn Hirschberg of the New York Times and its TimesTalk series. This was while Washington and Davis were starring on Broadway in a revival of August Wilson’s “Fences,” coincidentally.
It’s really worth watching and listening to from beginning to end, so here you go, in 5 parts (the third and final interview follows after):
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
Part 5:
And finally, the last interview, 5 years after later, features Denzel Washington in conversation with Dr. Todd Boyd, Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The self-proclaimed “Notorious Ph.D.” Boyd led the conversation, which covered much of Washington’s career, as he shared insightful stories and anecdotes about his work on stage and screen.
It’s another wonderful chat with the actor/star, so check it out below:
