Film fans were divided on social media over a recent Denzel Washington interview in which the two-time Oscar winner said he was not familiar with the work of late director Stanley Kubrick.
Washington, who celebrates his 70th birthday December 28, chat with Collider correspondent Steve Weintraub in November to promote his latest film, Gladiator II.
When asked what his favorite film from Kubrick was, Washington said he ‘wasn’t a real film buff’ around the time Kubrick released signature films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968, and 1971’s A Clockwork Orange.
‘I’m not a movie buff – no, I’m not a big movie fan – I was in the street when he was making movies,’ Washington said. ‘I’d be the one outside looking to rob you when you came out of a Kubrick movie, okay?
‘So I wasn’t a real film buff. I didn’t start acting until I was 20 years old and didn’t start really going to the movies until I was 20, 22, 23.’
Washington subsequently clarified his statement, saying that ‘as a teenager, [he] went to see movies like’ 1971’s Shaft and 1972’s SuperFly, which were respectively directed by late father and son Gordon Parks and Gordon Roger Parks Jr., who were among the most prominent Black filmmakers of the 1970s.
Film fans were divided on social media over a recent Denzel Washington, 69, in which the two-time Oscar winner said he was not familiar with the work of late director Stanley Kubrick
The interview with Washington – who’s won Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Glory in 1990, and for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Training Day in 2002 – garnered controversy online from a number of cinema lovers.
Some people felt Weintraub – who wore a shirt with Kubrick’s image emblazoned on it – was pretentious in assuming Washington shared the cultural experience in regards to cinema.
‘I’M SO GLAD DENZEL DID THIS!’ one social media user said. ‘He’s definitely a movie buff, but what he was really saying was why this man thought he could ask someone like Denzel who champions Black films, to speak about a white director instead of a Black one.
‘White film critics are insufferable this way. The arrogance to be doing press for a film and wear a shirt by another filmmaker … to quiz the actors about that person’s filmography like they’re contestants on a game show … they position everything from their very white, and in this case white male perspective.’
The user noted that Weintraub made the mistake in thinking that ‘everyone else’ must agree with him win regards to Kubrick’s place in cinema, ‘including the most famous Black actor who’s been in more films by Black directors than white.’
Another user agreed in suggesting that Washington was too seasoned to fall for the leading question championing Kubrick.
‘They should have known better than to try it on with Denzel, he never puts up with crap,’ the user said.
One social media user suggested that Washington ‘probably doesn’t like any Kubrick films he’s seen but there’s no polite way to say that.’
Collider correspondent Steve Weintraub led off the chat with Washington asking him what his favorite Kubrick film was
Some people felt Weintraub – who wore a shirt with Kubrick’s image emblazoned on it – was pretentious in assuming Washington shared the cultural experience in regards to cinema
One user summed up Washington’s response with a popular gif of him slamming the door on a man, taken from his 2014 stint on Broadway performing in A Raisin in the Sun from the late Lorraine Hansberry, a prominent Black playwright.
Some users felt it was Washington who came out of the interview appearing to be pretentious in his reply.
‘I’m unbelievably disappointed in that answer … why does he seem so pretentious now,’ one user said.
Another referenced a prominent Kubrick film in 1980’s The Shining, writing, ‘So in the last 40 years he’s never seen the Shining? lol.’
One user summed up Washington’s response with a popular gif of him slamming the door on a man, taken from his 2014 stint on Broadway performing in A Raisin in the Sun from the late Lorraine Hansberry, a prominent Black playwright
Some users felt it was Washington who came out of the interview appearing to be pretentious in his reply
Others took more of a neutral approach in their response, accepting the premise that the feted actor wasn’t a superfan of cinema, or at least Kubrick’s films
Another user said that Washington was ‘just being difficult for the sake if being difficult,’ while one user said the question about Kubrick wasn’t out of line or making assumptions in its tone.
‘Why is everyone acting like this is a pretentious question it’s such a valid question,’ one user said.
Others took more of a neutral approach in their response, accepting the premise that the feted actor wasn’t a superfan of cinema.
‘This isn’t uncommon,’ said one user. ‘Just because you are really good at something, doesn’t mean you’re a big fan of the art/craft.’
Another added, ‘I think you’re reading too much into it – Denzel said he’s not a movie buff and wasn’t sitting around watching movies when he was growing up. It’s that simple.’
