Denzel Washington Shares Brutally Honest Take About the Oscars

Denzel Washington has ten Oscar nominations and two wins. Many people would expect him to be proud of his accomplishments with the world’s most celebrated movie award, but they might be surprised to learn his actual feelings about the Oscars. In a recent interview, he declared that he didn’t care about the Academy Awards, despite his multiple nominations and wins.

Denzel Washington: “I Don’t Do It For Oscars”

In a “Jake’s Takes” interview with Jake Hamilton, Washington discussed how he doesn’t care about the Acadamy Awards anymore. “I don’t do it for Oscars,” he declared. “I really don’t care about that kind of stuff, you know. I’ve been at this a long time, and there are times when I won and shouldn’t have won . . . Man gives the award. God gives the reward. I’m not that interested in Oscars. People ask, ‘where do you keep it?’ and I say ‘next to the other one.'”

“Next to the Other One”

Of course, Washington’s quip about where he keeps his Academy Awards might have some people questioning the sincerity of his statement. Washington has won two Academy Awards: he won Best Supporting Actor for Glory, and he won Best Actor for Training Day. A person with two Academy Awards might be more prone to saying that they don’t care about the awards than someone who has never won an Oscar and failed to win one for decades. An actor who can’t say they keep their Academy Award “next to the other one” might see Washington’s words as insincere or an attempt to appear humble.

What Is Denzel Washington Currently Starring In?

Washington is currently starring in Highest 2 Lowest, directed by Spike Lee. The crime thriller is a remake of the Akira Kurosawa film Heaven and Hell, or as it was titled in the USA, High and Low. Will Washington receive an Oscar or a nomination for this film? We obviously can’t know just yet, but if he does, he might find himself caring about it a little bit even though he doesn’t act with Academy Awards in mind. Furthermore, if he wins, he can tell people that he keeps his Oscar for Highest 2 Lowest “next to the other ones.”