Washington Denzel Quotes & Sayings

I just try to be honest and true to the character and play the part. — Denzel Washington

The secret to a happy marriage? Do whatever your wife tells you. 'Yes, dear.' And breathe. — Denzel Washington

I walk by faith, not by sight. — Denzel Washington

Sometimes when you're the good guy, you're sort of trapped. "Oh, he can't say that." And even when you're playing a real person like a Steven Biko, you're sort of stuck within those confines. So yeah, bad guys do have more fun. — Denzel Washington

As an actor, you're a color of paint on someone else's palette. But as a director, it's your canvas and you make the painting you want to make. — Denzel Washington

The greatest lesson I've learned in life is "Who knows what's good or bad?" Things come along that you really want, and they turn out to be the worst thing in the world. And some of the worst tragedies that you can conceive turn out to be the best things, the exact medicine you need in that moment. — Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington: I like the collaboration, I like seeing people do well, so I really plan to direct the rest of my days. — Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington is someone I look up to. — Dayo Okeniyi

When my oldest boy was about 14, I started to talk to him about some of the mistakes I made in life, just to put a few dents in that shiny armor. — Denzel Washington

An ideal movie would be, like - to get this to happen, I have to work so much harder - but imagine Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy ... Who else? Donald Faison. Directed by Steven Spielberg. That would be awesome. — Donald Faison

When we shot "Cry Freedom," I wasn't even allowed in South Africa. They told me I could come but I wasn't going to leave. I had heavy death threats at that time. So we shot in Zimbabwe.In 1995, I had the privilege and the honor to meet Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela the same day: I had breakfast with Desmond Tutu and lunch with Nelson Mandela. Then I had the good fortune to have Mr. Mandela actually come to my house in California.here's been a tremendous amount of change. — Denzel Washington

Writing is a weapon and it's more powerful than a fist could ever be. — Denzel Washington

A sociopath will do anything to win. Anything. — Denzel Washington

Everybody has a job to do. There are people in Iraq on both sides of this war who do what they do for religious reasons, and they feel with God on their side. Some people are good at annihilating people. Maybe that's their gift. — Denzel Washington

My role 14 years ago in Richard III - that was the first time I played a bad guy and learned a lot about it - they have all the fun! — Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, Robert Redford, Tom Cruise: those guys have well-planned careers. I'm just on a journey. Wherever I run across a job, I say, 'Okay, I'll do that.' — James Earl Jones

In marriage, if you're a guy, learn two phrases. One is "yes, dear" and the other is "honey, you're right." Be patient. Be good friends first. And stick together. You gotta work at it. It's not all a honeymoon, it's not all flowers and roses, but if you're friends and partners and committed, you'll be okay. And everybody's got advice for you - don't listen. — Denzel Washington

I made a commitment to completely cut out drinking and anything that might hamper me from getting my mind and body together. And the floodgates of goodness have opened upon me - spiritually and financially. — Denzel Washington

I have a new respect for filmmakers, that's for sure, 'cause it's not easy. If I'm allowed to, I'll be directing for the rest of my life. I love the process. — Denzel Washington

You will never see a U-Haul behind a hearse, — Denzel Washington

If you don't fail, you're not even trying. — Denzel Washington

Black or white good parts are hard to come by. A good actor with a good opportunity has a shot; without the opportunity it doesn't matter how good you are. — Denzel Washington

I believe in God. I don't fear man, I fear God. — Denzel Washington

We've all had some level of injustice, whether 20 years in prison, or 20 minutes sitting in your car waiting for a police officer to determine your future. Or even a few moments in an elevator with some woman clutching her purse thinking you're going to rob her ¾ regardless of celebrity, that has happened to me. — Denzel Washington

What are you doing extra? That's what counts. That's when you're working hard - when you're going above and over what's expected of you" (102). - Tony Gonzalez, "The Giant Within — Denzel Washington

You can't break me because you didn't make me. — Denzel Washington

Years ago, even prior to 9/11, I did a movie called "The Siege." I did a lot of research with the FBI and the CIA. And I was amazed at that time (I guess we might all know it now) how little information they shared with each other. So after that, I'm not surprised by anything. — Denzel Washington

Hate put me in prison. Love's gonna bust me out. — Denzel Washington

It'd be very difficult to cast me as a ballet dancer. Everybody is, in some sense, controlled by their size and their gender. I'm not going to be allowed to play the part that Denzel Washington plays. — Brian Dennehy

I just do what I feel and what I like. I don't necessarily censor or feel an obligation to have a particular moral standard - I'm willing to wallow in the mud, if necessary. It appears as if there seems to be a consistency in result, but maybe that has as much to do with the roles I choose as it does with how I play them. I do what pleases me. — Denzel Washington

My father was a minister for 50 years (with) Pentecostal Church of God in Christ. We prayed about everything, every day, then he always said, "Amen. God is love." I thought God is love was one word. Like "Godislove." And it took me a long time to learn what that really meant. — Denzel Washington

So the desire you have, that itch that you have to be whatever it is you want to be ... that itch, that desire for good is God's proof to you sent already to indicate that it's yours. You already have it. Claim it. — Denzel Washington

My ultimate life dream project is my kids. My family. — Denzel Washington

I've always felt protected. That's the God's honest truth. — Denzel Washington

Got to be who you are in this world, no matter what. — Denzel Washington

There are films that I don't like, and then someone will come up to me and say it's their favorite movie. The movies belong to the people. You make them and you put them out. For me, I love the process of making films. For me, my favorite film is always my next one. — Denzel Washington

I never really had the classic struggle. I had faith. — Denzel Washington

We'll all retire from life at some point. The great thing about acting is you don't necessarily have to retire. — Denzel Washington

It is very important to transcend the places that hold us. — Denzel Washington

It's not what you know, it's what you can prove. — Denzel Washington

Americans love to talk about the Constitution and how it protects the rights of every citizen and promises freedom to every citizen, but it's also a country based on racism and they don't talk about that too much and every time there's a film which deals with it there's certain parts of the country that feel uncomfortable. — Denzel Washington

Put God first in everything you do ... Everything that I have is by the grace of God, understand that. It's a gift ... I didn't always stick with Him, but He stuck with me. — Denzel Washington

Religion to me is when man gets ahold of spirituality: "My god is right, yours is wrong." Religion to me is the human condition. "If you're a Muslim, you can't be a Christian." That to me is religion. — Denzel Washington

Fall forward. Here's what I mean: Reggie Jackson struck out 2,600 times in his career - the most in the history of baseball. But you don't hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs. Fall forward. Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Did you know that? I didn't either - because number 1,001 was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. — Denzel Washington

I still have my unemployment books and I remember when I worked for the sanitation department and the post office. — Denzel Washington

At the end of the day, it's not about what you have or even what you've accomplished. It's about what you've done with those accomplishments. Its about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. It about what you've given back (23). — Denzel Washington

My mom graduated from the University of Michigan, which is a great school. Then she got her Master's from NYU. She wanted to be an actress, so when she graduated, she had a dream, and she started following it. She moved to New York and took acting classes with people like Denzel Washington. — Big Sean

Do what you gotta do so you can do what you wanna do. — Denzel Washington

When you trust the director you want to trust his or her choices. I don't want to say, 'No, I don't like this girl or that guy, when the director really loves them. No, you want to go with what the director likes. — Denzel Washington

Whether you know who Denzel Washington is or you don't, when he walks into the room, you're going to pay attention, because he's just such a powerful man. — Mila Kunis

I want to meet Denzel Washington when I go to the Oscars. Every man wants to see Halle Berry in person. And, you know, Dolly Parton ... I wouldn't mind seeing Dolly Parton. She's from Tennessee, I'm from Tennessee. — Juicy J

For whatever reason, God has blessed me with the ability, put me in a position to make these leaps and bounds. I'm fulfilling my part of the bargain, which is to give back and be a positive influence on others. — Denzel Washington

The movie, 'Remember the Titans,' is my favorite movie, staring Denzel Washington. I love the way in this movie the game of football brings those boys together, it unites those boys on that football field. It unites a whole town, black, white, old, young, rich and poor. — Michael Irvin

A lot of people ... kind of make heroes that are separate from us, people who are, you know, like ... John Wayne and Errol Flynn and, you know, Denzel Washington ... people who are different, who are larger than life. — Walter Mosley

A film is just like a muffin. You make it. You put it on the table. One person might say, Oh, I don't like it. One might say it's the best muffin ever made. One might say it's an awful muffin. It's hard for me to say. It's for me to make the muffin. — Denzel Washington

You don't know when you're being watched. That's one of the weird things about celebrity. It's my least favorite part of acting, celebrity. — Denzel Washington

I worked with the same trainer that worked with Denzel Washington in THe Hurricane. It was three months of training, five days a week, 4 to 5 hours a day. This was followed by a month of choreography. — Wentworth Miller

When people protest and are upset with a movie, it becomes a big hit. They hated Passion of The Christ, it worked out pretty well for the box office. So let's get that going. — Denzel Washington

I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. — Denzel Washington

Do what you have to do, to do what you want to do. — Denzel Washington

When I did A Soldier's Story, I was very young and green and thought I knew everything-now I know I know everything! — Denzel Washington

Fundamentally, the most important thing is to get the film made for me and to get as many people to see it as possible. And if I help that, then - I know I help that, let's put it that way. I do know that I help that. It is called show business. — Denzel Washington

Acting is like music and you improvise. It's like jazz, there's no rhyme or reason to it. It's not a plan. You practice to music and you just play it. — Denzel Washington

We have all received our share of good fortune, so that's my definition of much. A single blessing is all the bounty in the world, and if you've been blessed at all you're meant to pass some of that on. You're meant to set a positive example. That's our responsibility (20). — Denzel Washington

My favorite newer movie is "Training Day." Denzel Washington is, to me, one of the greatest actors ever. The way he gets into those roles is ridiculous. — Virgil Green

I'm usually the guy who says, 'Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington in the Siege'! — Jim Cummings

I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness. — Denzel Washington

My mother used to tell me: "You gotta smile more. Because if you don't smile, the way you look at people, they'll think you're mad at them." — Denzel Washington

I'm very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That's my cultural historical background, my genetic makeup, but it's not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question. — Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington is a big Hollywood movie star now. But he started out as an actor in the Negro Ensemble company. — Pearl Cleage

Meryl and Katharine Hepburn are probably the two greatest actresses of this and the last century. — Denzel Washington

What it taught me was forgiveness. It taught me that when people present themselves in a certain way, there's probably some back story or issue or reason for the way that they are. It's not you. It's them. And a lot of times, its about something that's completely out of their control — Denzel Washington

When people say "What do you want people to get from this movie?" I say, "Well, it depends on what they bring to it." I don't try to decide what people should get from it or why. I don't do a part for those kinds of reasons. — Denzel Washington

I actually don't hang out with any celebrities. My closest friends are old friends. And my real close friends, none of them are actors. — Denzel Washington

I read the Bible every day. — Denzel Washington

A part of me still says, 'Maybe, Denzel, you're supposed to preach. Maybe you're still compromising.' I've had an opportunity to play great men and, through their words, to preach. I take what talent I've been given seriously, and I want to use it for good. — Denzel Washington

I've always seen it to be a privilege to make movies. It's a really expensive, creative medium. — Denzel Washington

I think that if there can be considered racism it's to do with the lack of opportunities for writers and producers and the people behind the camera. — Denzel Washington

There's nothing good or bad, except by comparison" (210) - Bud Selig "Effort is Everything — Denzel Washington

You have to do what you gotta do in this life in order to do what you wanna do ... — Denzel Washington

The chances you take, the people you meet, the people you love, the faith that you have. That's what's going to define you. — Denzel Washington

My parents are my major supporters. I look up to Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson and Jim Carrey. They have all opened my mind and helped me with my craft. — Adam Hicks

I don't feel pressure, because I do what I want to do. I don't feel pressure at all. I've never done any movies because I thought this was what somebody wanted me to do. I'm a bit more, for lack of a better word, selfish than that. But like I say in the movie, you do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do. — Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington has a great sense of humor. He did all those 'Nutty Professor' movies. — Seth MacFarlane

There is nothing good or bad, except by comparison" (209) - "Effort is Everything" by Bud Selig — Denzel Washington

I'm not interested in being a celebrity; I'm interested in being a better actor and a better director. — Denzel Washington

I think a role model is a mentor - someone you see on a daily basis, and you learn from them. — Denzel Washington

I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds of films, dramas, romance. I'll watch comedies. I like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle. I'd like to meet them. — Barkhad Abdi

You never know how you're going to affect people. — Denzel Washington

I was discovered on the Sony lot through an audition by Denzel Washington. — Derek Luke

Mix one part Denzel Washington and two parts Eva Mendes and you have a nice hot cocktail. — Dean Cain

To protect the sheep, you gotta catch the wolf. And it takes a wolf to catch a wolf, you understand? — Denzel Washington

There's always got to be room for what you might call benign corruption. Nobody blames a man who steals food to feed his starving children, but on the other hand, somebody who picks up a badge and takes an oath to serve and protect; we do expect a certain level of essential honesty. — Denzel Washington

It's simple: You get a part. You play a part. You play it well. You do your work and you go home. And what is wonderful about movies is that once they're done, they belong to the people. Once you make it, it's what they see. That's where my head is at. — Denzel Washington

Goals on the road to achievement cannot be achieved without discipline and consistency. — Denzel Washington

There's a book called "The Sociopath Next Door." I thought most sociopaths were violent. In fact, they aren't. But almost all sociopaths want to win, no matter what. — Denzel Washington

My faith helps me understand that circumstances don't dictate my happiness, my inner peace. — Denzel Washington

Talent comes from God. If you have been given some, then value it, cultivate it, work and develop it. — Denzel Washington

What's a celebrity anyway? Paris Hilton's a celebrity. I'm just a working actor. — Denzel Washington

A man once told me that you step out of your door in the morning, and you are already in trouble. The only question is are you on top of that trouble or not? — Denzel Washington