Denzel Washington

Washington plays Joyhn W. Creasy in the action thriller Man on Fire, alongside Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, and Dakota Fanning. Ex-CIA agent Creasy takes up a new job as the bodyguard for 9-year-old Lupita Ramos in Mexico City. After Lupita is kidnapped, Creasy is torn. He promises to find her and vows to kill anyone who is involved.

When we were working on Man on Fire, Tony Scott sent me a tape about the Iceman, the guy that killed all of those people. Later I saw this footage of a young girl getting shot. She didn’t do anything but drop. It’s morbid fascination, but that’s what I’m looking for.

Washington plays Dr. Jerome Davenport in the 2003 biographical drama. The film is inspired by the true story of Antwone Fisher, a navy sailor with a troubled past, who is sent to consult with the navy psychiatrist for his violent confrontations. Also stars Derek Luke. It is also Washington’s directorial debut.

I think it’s a pretty good film. It’s a simple film and I think it has honesty and a lot of heart.

Washington plays John Quincy Archibald in the drama, John Q. After collapsing at his baseball game due to his enlarged heart, Archibald’s son, Michael is left no other option but to undergo a heart transplant. After being told that his insurance doesn’t cover his son’s transplant, Archibald takes the hospital hostage and demands the doctors save Michael’s life.

My character is a very sweet guy, a positive family man. One of my producing partners said, ‘If they don’t like you in Training Day, John Q can be your apology to your public.’

Washington plays Coach Herman Boone in the biographic drama Remember the Titans, alongside actor Will Patton. The film is based on the inspiring true story of Coach Herman Boone and his 1971 high school football team. The film covers topics of athletics, youth, and racism and is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. On taking on the role of Coach Boone:

And I read it and thought, Hmm. Interesting story. Interesting character. What really nailed it for me was meeting Coach Boone.

Washington plays ex-forensic cop Lincoln Rhyme in the crime drama The Bone Collector. A tunnel accident results in Rhymes becoming a quadriplegic. Depressed, Rhymes is about to give up when a series of murders gives him interest in living again. With rookie Amelia Donaghy, played by actress Angelina Jolie, on the field, Rhymes has everything he needs to hunt down the serial killer.

When I first saw the film myself, I was scared to death a few times. I think Phillip Noyce [the director] did an incredible job of creating a claustrophobic and haunting atmosphere.

Washington plays Jake Shuttlesworth in the basketball drama He Got Game. Jesus Shuttlesworth, played by NBA star Ray Allen, is the top-ranked basketball player in the nation. Every college wants him. After being sent to prison after accidently killing his wife, Jake is told he will be released early if he gets his son to play ball for the Governor’s alma mater.

Well, I played ball in college. I’m over the hill now. I hung up my knees. I’ve had surgery on both knees, on one knee six or seven weeks before we started shooting. So when it came to the character, that became a part of my thing.

Washington plays Dudley in the comedy drama The Preacher’s Wife. Reverend Henry Biggs and his wife Julia, played by actors Courtney B. Vance and Whitney Houston, are losing their small Baptist church due to declining membership. Unsure of what to do, the reverend prays to God. A charming angel named Dudley comes along to show them the way. Houston on Washington:

Denzel’s funny, he likes to have fun and frolic around a lot.

Washington plays Ezekiel ‘Easy’ Rawlins in the crime drama Devil in a Blue Dress. Set in the 1940’s, Rawlins, a World War II veteran, returns home looking for a job. As a private investigator he takes on his first case which involves looking for a missing woman. With the war behind him, Rawlins steps into a new career full of corrupt cops, gangsters, and murder.

I really got into it as I did the research and started. I even went to Houston. I went to the Third Ward and I met guys who were kind of prominent in the neighborhood now. They introduced me to the old guys…

Washington plays Lt. Commander Ron Hunter in the action drama Crimson Tide. The U.S. Navy sends a nuclear ballistic submarine to intercept a possible launch from Russia. Captain Frank Ramsay, played by actor Gene Hackman, and Hunter do not agree with their orders and a mutiny within the sub is organized. On acting alongside Hackman:

I’d sit there sometimes and they’d almost have to go, ‘Denzel, your line.’ I was watching one of the great actors of all time.

Washington plays reporter Gray Grantham in the crime drama The Pelican Brief. A law student, played by Julia Roberts, writes a legal brief about the motives behind the killings of two Supreme Court justices. A failed assassination attempt on her life validates the accuracy of her brief. She teams up with Grantham as they both try to find evidence of the truth. On accepting the role:

They just asked me to do it. I said, ‘Hey, this is a no-brainer.’ I got to ride the Julia machine. Julia’s a moneymaking machine.