Nearly 35 years after his first Oscar win, Denzel Washington isn’t in it for the trophies.
The 2x Oscar winner recently said he’s “been around too long” to be upset that his latest performance as Macrinus in Ridley Scott‘s Gladiator II was passed over for an Academy Award nomination.
“Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset,” he joked to The New York Times about being snubbed. “I’m happy for all that did, and I’m happy with what I’m doing.
“Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’ve got — I don’t wanna say other fish to fry, but there’s a reality at this age. The beginning of wisdom is understanding. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that’s exciting,” added Washington.
Washington previously won Best Supporting Actor for Glory (1989) and Best Actor for Training Day (2001), having also received eight other nominations, most recently for Best Actor in The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021).
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: Denzel Washington attends “Gladiator II” The Royal Film Performance and Global Premiere at Leicester Square on November 13, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Meanwhile, his Gladiator II performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor — Motion Picture.
Washington will have plenty more chances for another Oscar (and maybe a Tony) as he previously told Deadline what he’s working on after Gladiator II.
“I’m producing and starring in Hannibal next fall. I’ll do Othello onstage starting in February, and it feels like Gladiator II was preparation for Othellowhich will be preparation for Hannibal,” he said in November. “I’m in the gym now. I looked at a photograph of myself at an Academy Awards, and I was 250 pounds. Those days are over. I’m on my way to 180, and I’ll be ready for my Hannibal fitting. I’m not where I want to be, but I ain’t where I was.”
