Legendary Actor Hints At Retirement After Next Batch Of Film Releases

Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington recently announced that he plans to retire after his next batch of high-profile film releases.

“I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. Probably not that many,” Washington said during in interview with Australia’s Today earlier this week. “I want to do things I haven’t done. I’ve played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70. After that I’m playing Hannibal. After that I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther.’”

“After that I’m going to do the film ‘Othello.’ After that I’m going to do ‘King Lear.’ After that I’m going to retire,” he added.

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Washington, 69, has garnered a reputation as one of America’s most talented actors over a decades-long film, television and stage career. 

After studying acting at Fordham University in New York, where he was cast in a number of stage roles, he attended graduate school at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco before moving to New York City to try his hand at professional acting.

Washington’s first on-screen acting role came in the 1977 made-for-television film “Wilma,” which he followed up with his first major film credit in 1981’s “Carbon Copy.”

Washington mingles with fans at the premiere of “The Equalizer”

Washington’s major breakthrough came in 1989, when he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Glory,” a civil war film that details the true story of 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the first all-black volunteer unit in the Union Army.

He earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Malcom X in the 1992 biographical film of the same name. A year later, he starred alongside Tom Hanks in “Philadelphia,” a film about the AIDS crisis for which Tom Hanks won Best Actor.

After several box office and critically acclaimed hits in-between, including “Courage Under Fire,” “Crimson Tide” and “Remember The Titans,” Washington secured another Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of corrupt LAPD officer Alonzo Harris in the 2001 thriller “Training Day.”

Washington went on to star in several action hits throughout the late 2000’s and 2010’s, including “Man On Fire,” “American Gangster,” “The Book Of Eli” and “The Equalizer.”

The legendary actor continued to show off his range over the same time period, however. In 2016, Washington directed and starred in a film adaptation of August Wilson’s 1985 play “Fences,” which tells the story of a working-class black family in the 1950’s.

The film earned widespread critical acclaim, securing nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay for Wilson, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor for Washington and Best Supporting Actress for co-star Viola Davis, which she won, at the 89th Academy Awards.

These days, Washington is focused on the upcoming release of “Gladiator II,” a sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 historical epic. He is also set to star in “Black Panther III,” one of Marvel’s highest grossing franchises. Original “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away after a battle with colon cancer in 2020, though the studio went on to secure another hit with “Wakanda Forever” in 2022.

“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in,” Washington told Empire magazine when asked about “Gladiator II.” 

“I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley.” Washington previously worked with Scott when he portrayed notorious drug kingpin Frank Lucas in 2007’s “American Gangster.”

“We had a great go-round the first go-round [on ‘American Gangster’], and here we are,” Washington continued. “He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration.”

“We should all want to feel like that at 86,” he added.

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