Denzel Washington is back on Broadway, taking on the lead role in Shakesphere’s Othello. The 70-year-old actor who has won multiple Academy AWards still considers himself a stage performer before anything else as he opened up saying in the recent interview. Speaking to CBS Sunday Morning, during the conversation Washington explained why he doesn’t think of himself as a “Hollywood actor.”
“What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor?” he questioned. “Myself, I’m from Mt. Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mt. Vernon actor.’ I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means.” The Gladiator actor emphasized that theatre is where he started and what he values the most “I did stage first. I learned how to act on stage, not on film. Movies are a filmmaker’s medium… Theater is an actor’s medium. The curtain goes up, nobody can help you.”
Washington plays the titular role while Jake Gyllenhaal takes on the character of lago. This marks the first Broadway revival of Othello in over 40 years. The last production in 1982 featured James Earl Jones in the lead. For Washington, this role is personal. “James Earl Jones was my northern star when I was in college. He was who I wanted to be,” he said, sharing how Jones’ legacy inspired his own journey.
Directed by Kenny Leon, Othello is running for 15 weeks at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and Denzel Washington is excited to bring a fresh take to the classic play. He reflected on his early interpretation of the role, saying, “I thought I knew everything then. I didn’t really like the part, ’cause I wasn’t wise enough to understand it.”
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