Denzel Washington gives his brutally honest take on Oscars after ‘Gladiator II' snub
The 'Fences' actor, 70, recently explained why winning an Oscar isn't important to him in his career.
'I don't do it for Oscars. I don't care about that kind of stuff,' he stated on 'Jake's Takes' while promoting his new film, 'Highest 2 Lowest.'
8 Denzel Washington accepts his Oscar for Best Actor for 'Training Day' in 2002.
AP
'I've been at this a long time, and there's time when I won and shouldn't have won and then didn't win and should've won,' Washington continued. 'Man gives the award. God gives the reward.'
Despite being nominated nine times and taking home two wins at the award ceremony, Washington declared: 'I'm not that interested in Oscars.'
8 Denzel Washington on 'Jake's Takes.'
Jake's Takes/Youtube
8 Denzel Washington in 'Highest 2 Lowest.'
AP
'People ask me, 'Where do I keep it?' Well, next to the other one. I'm not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it,' he shared. 'On my last day, [Oscars] aren't going to do me a bit of good.'
Washington won Oscars in 1990 for 'Glory' and in 2002 for 'Training Day.'
8 Denzel Washington with his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 'Glory' in 1990.
Sygma via Getty Images
8 Halle Berry and Denzel Washington with their Oscars at the 2002 Academy Awards.
REUTERS
He was also nominated for his performances in 'Cry Freedom,' 'Malcolm X,' 'The Hurricane,' 'Flight,' 'Fences,' 'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' and 'The Tragedy of Macbeth.'
Earlier this year, Washington was snubbed by the Academy for his performance in 'Gladiator II.'
He was expected to get into the Best Supporting Actor race, especially after scoring nominations at the 2025 Golden Globes and 2025 Critics Choice Awards.
8 Denzel Washington in 'Gladiator 2.'
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
When asked how he felt about the snub in Feb., Washington sarcastically told the New York Times: 'Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I'm so upset.'
'Listen, I've been around too long. I've got — I don't wanna say other fish to fry, but there's a reality at this age,' he explained. 'The beginning of wisdom is understanding. I'm getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that's exciting.'
8 Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington in 'Gladiator 2.'
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
8 Denzel Washington in 'Gladiator II.'
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
Three months after the Oscars snub, Washington failed to get nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in 'Othello,' which generated controversy for its high ticket costs.
Last year, Washington made headlines for saying he plans to retire after his slew of upcoming acting projects, including 'Black Panther 3.'
'I don't know how many more films I'm going to make. Probably not that many,' he admitted during an interview with Australia's Today.
'I want to do things I haven't done,' Washington added.
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