Denzel Washington snaps during heated exchange on Cannes red carpet: ‘Stop it!'
Don't mess with the Equalizer.
Denzel Washington was caught getting into a tense exchange with a photographer at France's Cannes Film Festival on Monday, May 19.
The Oscar winner, 70, looked fired up when he approached the line of shutterbugs at the world premiere of Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest, in which Washington stars.
He was talking to Lee, 68, and being approached by A$AP Rocky, 36, who also stars in the film, when one photographer decided to grab him in an attempt to get the A-lister's attention.
The move appeared to set Washington off because the Gladiator II actor decided to confront him.
Firmly pointing his finger in the photographer's face, the actor repeatedly screamed 'stop' as he approached the man.
Ignoring Washington's concerns by laughing in the award winner's face, the star continued shouting at the man.
When the superstar turned around to walk away, the photographer grabbed his arm, provoking Washington to snap.
Pulling his arms from the cameraman's grasp, Washington showed the man he meant business.
'Stop it!' the actor shouted, with the veins popping from his neck. 'Stop!'
The Post reached out to Washington's rep for comment.
Washington didn't let the heated altercation keep him down, though.
He was surprised at the Cannes Film Festival with an honorary Palme d'Or honour from inside the theatre before the film's premiere.
After showing a reel of his legendary career, festival chief Thierry Frémaux addressed the crowd to give Washington the prestigious honour.
'It's a very special day,' he said, per Deadline. 'Denzel, because you are here, we want to make something special for you … it's a kind of way for us to tell you our adoration, what you have done in cinema. Nobody knows about that except Spike Lee, who wrote me to do that.'
Lee walked up to the stage with Washington to present the coveted award to his dear friend.
'This is my brother right here. I love him, I love him. I'm glad you're here where all the people love you too,' Lee told him.
'This is a total surprise for me so I'm a little emotional, but from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all,' Washington said to the crowd. 'It was a great opportunity to collaborate with my brother once again — brother from another mother, Spike.'
'To be here once again in Cannes, you know, we're a very privileged group in this room that we get to make movies and wear tuxedos and nice clothes and dress up and get paid for it as well,' he added, prompting laughter from his peers. 'You know, we're just blessed beyond measure, I'm blessed beyond measure, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all. Thank you.'
Highest 2 Lowest is a thriller and the English reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 Japanese movie High and Low. The latter was loosely based on the 1959 novel King's Ransom by Ed McBain (real name Evan Hunter).
The movie follows David King (Washington), a successful executive who becomes an extortion victim when a kidnapper mixes up his son (Aubrey Joseph) with his driver's kid and holds him for ransom.
Jeffrey Wright plays the chauffeur.
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