As a seasoned cinephile with decades of film industry insights under my belt, I can confidently say that Denzel Washington is not just a gifted actor, but also a wise and engaging personality. His recent press tour for ‘Gladiator II’ has been nothing short of captivating, with his candid comments on various topics, from the state of politics to the latest boxing spectacle.
Denzel Washington is making headlines with an entertaining and insightful press run for “Gladiator II”. Despite being surrounded by a predominantly young cast (Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger), Washington’s vast experience and wisdom have placed him at the forefront of most major interviews for the movie. Throughout this press tour, Washington has expressed his discontent with the current political landscape, criticized a phase in his career where he made several less successful films (which he referred to as “clunkers”), and even shared his thoughts on the recent Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight. Streamed on Netflix, the event was met with disappointment by many, and technical issues like buffering only added to viewers’ frustration.
In a more casual and straightforward manner, we could say: Recently, Washington, who’s been a fan of boxing for quite some time, made an appearance on the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live. During the conversation, Jimmy asked him about his thoughts on the fight (and whether he truly believed it was boxing). Washington replied humorously and succinctly.
Mike is one of the all-time greats. And I’m glad he got paid.
Jimmy Kimmel later displayed a photo taken 21 years back, showing Washington happily shaking hands with Tyson following Tyson’s battle against Lewis in 2003. The late-night host remarked that Washington appeared more joyful there than during his Oscar win for Training Day, which seems fitting. Kimmel then disclosed that Mike Tyson had visited his show recently and mentioned he might use marijuana or mushrooms before fighting Jake Paul. Kimmel inquired if any signs of such substances were noticeable during the fight, to which Washington promptly changed the subject.
Denzel Washington and Boxing
For decades, I’ve been a devoted boxing enthusiast, even managing to squeeze in a weekly match, despite my advancing years close to 70. However, an unexpected twist came after I portrayed the real-life boxer Rubin Carter in the 1999 film, “The Hurricane.” The role required me to spar with professional boxers and adhere to an intense training regimen that mirrored Carter’s physique. Regrettably, this rigorous routine led to frequent headaches. In a 2013 interview on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” I confessed:
”One day, while training for the movie The Hurricane, I found myself sparring with former light-heavyweight champion Michael Spinks. However, it wasn’t me and Spinks who were sparring, but rather me and another person. As the session progressed, I began to feel sluggish and developed headaches. I informed Michael about my discomfort, to which he replied casually, ‘You’ll get used to that.’ That’s when I decided to stop training, as I didn’t want to acclimate to experiencing such headaches.”
Mike Tyson has likely grown accustomed to such situations, and one can only hope that his bout with Paul doesn’t exacerbate it further. The sequel to Gladiator, featuring Denzel Washington, is set to hit theaters on November 22, 2024.
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2024-11-19 11:03