If you could have played the lead in any<br>film in history, what would it be?<br>>> I played the lead in every film.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Denzel Washington is known for<br>powerhouse performances, but what people<br>don't expect, he's absolutely hilarious.<br>From unforgettable press junkets to<br>sharp one-liners, these are the moments<br>that prove he's just as funny as he is<br>iconic.<br>>> My whole life, like my mother gassed me<br>up and told me I look like this man. You<br>get what I'm saying? So<br>>> How much if you had a penny<br>anytime they said you look like Denzel?<br>>> I'll be a trillionaire<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> like for real.<br>>> Dude, it's true. I'm telling you.<br>>> to god, no [ __ ]<br>You<br>>> So like this being<br>>> So mom, should we tell them?<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Being convincing is the ultimate sign of<br>a great actor, but there are times when<br>it doesn't always work in your favor.<br>>> I did a play called Checkmates, 1988.<br>And same play where the woman whispered<br>to me. In the play I was a bad guy. I I<br>abused my wife and I psychologically.<br>And then finally there's a scene where I<br>slap her and she pulls a gun out and I'm<br>like I do that, right? So people are<br>watching the show and they're into the<br>show. So she says what she says, I say<br>what I say, I slap her, she pulls a gun,<br>I do like that and somebody says,<br>"Shoot." A woman says, "Shoot him. Shoot<br>that<br>I mean<br>>> [applause]<br>>> "Shoot him. Shoot him. No,<br>shoot that<br>>> Oh.<br>>> Auditioning is just a standard part of<br>making it in Hollywood. A right of<br>passage Denzel has well and truly left<br>in the rearview mirror.<br>>> You must be out that stage, right? It's<br>like you're not reading scripts and<br>auditioning, right?<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> It's been about 40 years for that, love.<br>About 40 years. Yeah, I haven't I<br>haven't auditioned for a movie in<br>>> For what?<br>>> I don't know if it's 40 exactly. I won<br>an Academy Award<br>in 1989.<br>How many years ago is that?<br>>> So that would be 35?<br>>> I'm sure that nobody asked me to<br>audition after that.<br>>> That's crazy.<br>>> I may be wrong. I may be wrong. I may be<br>wrong. I don't<br>>> I mean, do you miss that?<br>>> Auditioning?<br>>> Yeah.<br>>> No.<br>>> You are a winner, sir. Two Oscars, two<br>of them.<br>>> But I lost eight times.<br>>> Yes, you have lost more than you won.<br>>> See?<br>>> Yeah.<br>>> That's the first time.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> I lost<br>eight times.<br>>> Eight losses at the Oscars would break<br>most people, but for Denzel, it just<br>meant finding something else worth<br>taking home.<br>>> Let me tell you a Sean Connery story.<br>He was up for The Untouchables. I was up<br>that year for, I think it was Cry<br>Freedom.<br>He comes out to present an award and got<br>a 3-minute standing ovation.<br>>> Uh.<br>>> For presenting an award.<br>>> Wow.<br>>> I went to get the coats.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> I said, "I'm going to get the coats cuz<br>I know I ain't winning tonight."<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> So, so, so now we're leaving. I'm<br>leaving without the Oscar, right?<br>But as I'm leaving, I see the back of<br>where they're doing the they're getting<br>the the meal ready, the food ready for<br>the for the governor's ball.<br>>> Yeah, yeah.<br>>> I see a big tray. I'm like, "I'm leaving<br>here with something."<br>You know what I mean? I'm from around<br>the way. I'm leaving with something.<br>Then my mother told me to get the flower<br>arrangement.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> It's a true story.<br>>> But that wasn't just a one-time thing<br>because as it turns out, Denzel brings<br>that same energy everywhere he goes.<br>>> Double dolly shot.<br>>> The dolly, man. Your classic shot. Your<br>classic shot.<br>>> Yeah, yeah. Keep talking. Keep talking.<br>>> Yo, I'm getting robbed by Denzel, man.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Hey, you know that that watch is gone.<br>You know that.<br>>> You can take him out of New York, you<br>can't take the New York out of him, you<br>know. You dig? That's It look better on<br>you anyway, OG.<br>>> I hope it doesn't fit. I hope it doesn't<br>fit.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Really robbed me for my [ __ ]<br>watch, yo.<br>>> No, I didn't, man. You gave it to me.<br>We got witnesses. It's all on film. You<br>gave me this.<br>I'll rob you later.<br>>> part about that<br>>> Let me ask you this.<br>>> I ain't got no money.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> I got<br>Put me in the movie. I got jokes.<br>>> Sure, Denzel's a funny guy, but he's not<br>the only Washington with jokes. Because<br>as it turns out, his sons have been<br>studying his playbook a little too well.<br>>> I I don't do bits and I don't do stick,<br>and I normally don't really do fan<br>questions, but I came across two<br>gentlemen in Chicago who asked me a<br>question about your performance, and it<br>was such a good question that I did not<br>want to take credit for it. I said,<br>"Well, put it on camera and I'll I'll<br>show it to him." Do you mind if I show<br>you his question?<br>>> Mr. Washington,<br>I have a question.<br>>> Wait a minute.<br>>> Do you do all your own stunts?<br>>> Got my two sons.<br>>> But don't let the pranks fool you<br>because when it came to the last laugh,<br>there was never any doubt who it<br>belonged to.<br>>> What is it like now that the kids are,<br>as you say, mostly out of the house? So,<br>what is that like? Is it a transition? I<br>mean<br>>> I tell you what,<br>there's a difference between a home and<br>a house.<br>>> Yeah. Yeah.<br>>> When your kids leave, it's just a house.<br>>> Yeah. That's right.<br>>> It's not a home. So, it's<br>>> It's great. No.<br>>> [applause]<br>>> Denzel has delivered some of the most<br>memorable lines in cinema history, but<br>there are certain places where even he<br>knows better than to repeat them.<br>>> Denzel, before you leave, can you uh hit<br>us off with that King Kong line?<br>>> King Kong<br>I'm putting cases on all you. [laughter]<br>>> Can you curse on it? You can't curse on<br>it, can you?<br>>> No, no, you can't.<br>>> I'm putting cases You'll be playing<br>basketball in Pelican Bay when I get two<br>programs.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> 23-hour lockdown. You think you can do<br>this to me, Shaq? You think you can do<br>this to me?<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Oh my god.<br>>> I appreciate you, brother.<br>>> Well, he you got me, I got<br>>> What happens when the greatest actor and<br>the greatest basketball player end up in<br>the same room? Turns out, it's exactly<br>as good as it sounds.<br>>> Who is Who's greatest basketball player<br>of all time in your opinion?<br>>> Whoa.<br>Oh, man, that's hard. I was at the<br>Chicago Bulls game with Spike Lee and<br>Michael Jordan made that famous<br>>> [cheering]<br>>> shot. I was there.<br>And we went out to dinner that night<br>afterwards.<br>And he's famous.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> I was doing security work. He's famous.<br>Michael Jordan's famous.<br>>> You went out to dinner with Michael<br>Jordan after that game?<br>>> that game and cuz the next game they<br>were coming to LA to play.<br>And I was trying to get him drunk,<br>trying to get him off his<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> That's a Lakers fan, yeah. Take him out<br>to dinner.<br>>> It didn't work. Did you buy him shots?<br>>> Did he drink?<br>>> He he acted like he would put it to his<br>lip and then put it back down.<br>>> Oh, very interesting. So maybe he's the<br>greatest of all time.<br>>> He was that night.<br>>> If your plane crashed on a deserted<br>island and you could have one thing with<br>you, what would it be?<br>>> Another plane.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> And on that note<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> There aren't many roles Denzel<br>Washington couldn't pull off and based<br>on this clip, this hip-hop icon is well<br>within his range.<br>>> I was in<br>the studio<br>uh with with Lenny Kravitz.<br>And he was doing something with with<br>Jay, Jay-Z. And he's you know, he talk<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Yeah, D, I'm going to play this for you,<br>D.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Yeah, that's how he That's how he is,<br>yeah. You know, I'm going to put this<br>song for you, man. Just tell me what you<br>think. Or he's like, so what you think,<br>D? I was like,<br>play that again.<br>>> But his real problem, Nelson Mandela had<br>just spotted someone way more<br>interesting and it wasn't Denzel.<br>>> I had breakfast with Archbishop Desmond<br>Tutu and lunch with Nelson Mandela. So<br>he he meets me and my wife and he<br>immediately says to her, "Oh, I see why<br>he's the success that he has because of<br>you." Everything was about because of<br>her. And she's just like<br>And of course I'm like<br>>> yeah.<br>>> I'm like I'm like okay, you know, you<br>did a few things, Nelson, but you know<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> No.<br>>> Describe your job in three words.<br>>> I'm unemployed now.<br>>> He's always been willing to invest in<br>talent, but don't mistake generosity for<br>charity. He wants every cent back and<br>then some.<br>>> I understand from Chadwick Boseman<br>himself that you in some way are<br>actually responsible for him being Black<br>Panther.<br>>> Am I?<br>>> Yeah. He said<br>>> Oh, you cuz I get I paid for him to go<br>to school?<br>>> How did that come about?<br>>> I didn't know him. Felicia Rashad<br>I'm going to I'm going to screw this<br>story up, but Felicia Rashad was was<br>helping kids and she called a different<br>people and she called me and I said,<br>"Yeah, I'll sponsor whoever." And she<br>said, "Well, you're sponsoring or or he<br>called to thank me." That's how I found<br>out it was him. "You're sponsoring this<br>kid, Chadwick Boseman guy." And I said,<br>"Yeah, okay, Chad." I want my money<br>back. I went to the uh premiere for<br>Black Panther here in New York and I saw<br>Ryan Coogler and and and Chad. He said,<br>"Oh, you know, I just wanted to thank<br>you for paying." I said, "Yeah, that's<br>why I'm here. I'm not here<br>I'm not here to see the I'm not here I I<br>like the movie, Black Panther, yeah,<br>Wakanda forever, but<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> where's my money?<br>>> Mr. Washington, I could talk to you all<br>day. I just want you to know, sir, you<br>and I have been doing this for a long<br>time and I appreciate I'm glad it's not<br>my last day on this earth, but if it<br>were<br>you and me.<br>>> A long time. I got on underwear older<br>than you.<br>>> You should really change your underwear.<br>>> Yeah, I think so. I will now. How old<br>What are you? 40 I'm looking at your<br>hair. 46.<br>>> Oh, I'm 36.<br>>> Oh, why you you're the one talking about<br>you're so old.<br>>> Oh, I I just said we've been doing this<br>a long time.<br>>> That ain't long.<br>>> We've been doing<br>>> American Gangster is on<br>sorry.<br>>> Wait a minute. You didn't do it you So<br>you were 20 you<br>>> I started I started doing this when I<br>was 18.<br>>> Oh.<br>>> Yes, sir.<br>>> Okay.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Cardi B<br>>> Bodak Yellow<br>>> Uh you think I don't know?<br>>> [screaming]<br>>> You like Cardi B?<br>>> What she say, I give him whatever he<br>want, he buy me Yves Saint Laurent.<br>And a new whip.<br>You think I don't know?<br>>> Uh how she say it though?<br>>> I give him whatever he want, he buy me a<br>new Yves Saint Laurent and a new whip.<br>So<br>>> [cough]<br>>> I like Cardi B. You know what I'm<br>saying? I like her.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Man.<br>>> I love her.<br>>> You love her, right?<br>Oh, [ __ ]<br>>> Most stars show up to a premiere to<br>promote the film. Denzel showed up with<br>a completely different agenda in mind.<br>>> Paul Mescal. He's not as good an actor<br>as me.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> They're going to change the name of the<br>movie from Gladiator to Pedro 1.<br>Starring Pedro, written by Pedro,<br>directed by Pedro, edited by Pedro.<br>>> I only take direction from this guy.<br>No way, no way, no way. I don't start it<br>No, no, no. I only listen to him. So, so<br>but but I'm I'm glad that a trilogy is<br>in my future and I hope you're up for<br>it.<br>>> I'm not going to be in it.<br>>> No matter how fast your career is<br>rising, the moment you meet the<br>blueprint of modern acting, you're<br>instantly just a fan again and Ashton<br>Sanders is no different.<br>>> Good performance. Good performance.<br>>> Yo, thank you so much.<br>>> deserves<br>>> Oh, oh, hey.<br>You good? Where you from?<br>>> I'm from LA.<br>>> Oh, yeah?<br>>> Want to race?<br>>> Want to race? I might be doing a movie<br>with you soon, man.<br>>> Oh, yeah?<br>>> Yeah, for sure.<br>>> I'll see you at work.<br>>> Yeah, for sure.<br>>> Congratulations, Denzel.<br>>> Denzel.<br>>> Is that a dream come true, man?<br>>> That was crazy.<br>That<br>>> I think I'm crying right now.<br>>> That was Denzel Washington, yo.<br>>> You.<br>>> Okay, so y'all got all of this on camera<br>like that's<br>>> He's mastered acting, producing, and<br>directing, but his most surprising<br>talent turns out therapy might just top<br>them all.<br>>> For any aspiring actors who want to<br>break the boundaries, who want to push<br>doors, exactly what you have done, what<br>advice do you have?<br>>> Learn to act on stage.<br>Don't rely on social media. Put it down,<br>turn it off, shut up, be quiet, learn,<br>read, relax, get better. First part of<br>your life you learn, second part of your<br>life you earn, third part of your life<br>you return.<br>>> Can you be my therapist?<br>>> I already am.<br>I like that color. What is What What<br>color would you call that?<br>>> Maybe a clementine?<br>>> A clementine? That's a color?<br>>> Clementine orange.<br>>> Oh.<br>>> Yeah.<br>>> You say that like we should all know<br>that. Oh, yeah, clementine orange. I<br>wear that all the time.<br>>> Where do award-winning actors keep their<br>Oscar? The more you have, the easier the<br>answer.<br>>> Here's the most egotistical answer you<br>could ever get. People say, "Where do<br>you keep your Oscar?" I said, "Next to<br>the other one."<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> And they're lonely.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Robbie, for you, where do you keep<br>yours?<br>>> Uh by itself.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Somebody else said that you would If If<br>there was a movie made, that you would<br>be a great Barack Obama. Did he mention<br>that, or did somebody else mention it?<br>>> Uh you know, I don't know where it<br>started from. I think someone asked him,<br>and and and he<br>mentioned Will Smith, I think, as well.<br>And<br>uh you know, you know.<br>>> [laughter]<br>[applause]<br>>> I hope you don't mind me mentioning<br>this. You have a big birthday coming up<br>next month.<br>>> 70.<br>>> 70 years old.<br>>> Will you do something very special? Is<br>that out of your hands?<br>>> in the mirror and pose.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> 70.<br>You got a microphone.<br>>> Oh, that's a mic.<br>>> There you go. You're right, my man.<br>>> Sorry, that's a mic.<br>>> Here you go. You can have that.<br>>> That's what I get.<br>>> It's all going to your jacket now.<br>>> to your jacket.<br>>> Yeah, now it's on inside out. This is a<br>disaster.<br>>> This is really what I'm going to do at<br>70<br>>> [laughter]<br>[applause]<br>>> It's funny.<br>>> That's what I'll be doing, right? That's<br>what I'll be doing at 70.<br>>> I didn't think you seemed 70 at all, and<br>now suddenly I'm feeling differently.<br>Yeah.<br>>> I'll be Yeah, I'll be<br>I'll be looking for my keys at 70, right<br>there.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> And judging from Ryan's story of working<br>with him on set, it's not hard to see<br>why.<br>>> I did a a movie with a uh<br>a guy who's a very serious actor uh<br>named Denzel Washington. And uh<br>doesn't really like to rehearse a lot.<br>Just goes in there and just nails it,<br>but you just get like one or two takes.<br>That's it. And uh his character's dying<br>on the ground. It's very emotional. He's<br>crying, and I'm sitting there and I'm<br>holding him, and suddenly I hear Come<br>fly with me.<br>Let's fly. Let's fly away. The phone is<br>untucked underneath him, and I guess it<br>hit that like Siri button or something,<br>and heard play come fly with me. And<br>they called cut, and and the the first<br>AD brought it out, "Whose<br>phone is that?" Denzel goes, "Whose<br>phone was that?" And I stand up, I look<br>at all the stunt guys, and I go, "Whose<br>the phone was that?"<br>>> There are questions he simply doesn't<br>entertain, and this interviewer found<br>out exactly where that line is, and what<br>happens when you step over it.<br>>> Mr. Washington, you're you're here in DC<br>during an interesting time with the<br>transition<br>uh in the White House. Just wondering<br>who you wound up supporting in the<br>election and why.<br>>> Go ahead. Go ahead now.<br>>> Fences.<br>>> Fences.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> Well, that was the question, who who you<br>who you wound up supporting in the<br>election, presidential election.<br>>> None of your business.<br>>> None of my business?<br>>> None of your business.<br>>> Well, I'm only asking cuz the story was<br>online. but but that's okay.<br>>> And when a reporter brought up online<br>rumors, he had no idea that he was about<br>to get educated in real time.<br>>> You were the subject of a fake news<br>story.<br>>> Oh, yeah, what did they say? I was<br>running for president? No. No, I voted<br>No, what did they say?<br>>> You switched your support<br>>> I switched the Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,<br>yeah. Yeah.<br>>> What do you make of all the fake news<br>and it affects<br>>> If you don't read the newspaper, you're<br>uninformed. If you do read it, you're<br>misinformed.<br>That's the great question. What is the<br>long-term effect of too much<br>information?<br>One of the effects is the need to be<br>first, not even to be true anymore.<br>So, what is the responsibility you all<br>have<br>to be to tell the truth, not just to be<br>first, but to tell the truth? We live in<br>a society now where it's just first. Who<br>cares? Get it out there. We don't care<br>who it hurts. We don't care who we<br>destroy. We don't care if it's true.<br>Just say it. Sell it.<br>>> I never had a What do you I don't even<br>know what you call it.<br>>> An Instagram account. Never had one.<br>Linked What's the other name? Linked?<br>>> Linked?<br>>> Linked Twitter<br>>> I don't have any of those things.<br>>> You don't have a LinkedIn?<br>>> No.<br>>> [laughter]<br>>> No.<br>I have a Cadillac.<br>>> And on that note, we're out.<br>>> Very good.<br>>> Thanks for watching.