Denzel Washington nearly severed his tongue and is powering through the painful setback as he prepares for his highly anticipated return to Broadway in Othello.
The Academy Award-winning actor, set to portray Shakespeare’s tormented Moor opposite Jake Gyllenhaal’s Iago, revealed that the bizarre injury has thrown an unexpected challenge into rehearsals.
“I bit my tongue almost half-off a few months ago,” Denzel Washington told The New York Times, describing the gruesome mishap that left his speech hindered. “It’s affecting my speech. It forces me to slow down … I have to use it.”
The incident came at a critical moment for Washington, who is gearing up for previews starting February 24. A consummate professional, he is finding ways to incorporate the injury into his performance, despite lingering discomfort.
“I have a line: ‘Whither will you that I go to answer this your charge?’ It’s hard because my tongue is swollen, and I got some temporary tooth put in because my tooth fell out of my head. It has affected everything,” he explained.
Though his dedication remains unwavering, Washington admitted that the injury might never fully heal. “I don’t think it’s ever gonna heal. It’s like I got a little flap in there now,” he added.
The production, one of Broadway’s most anticipated offerings, will see Washington and Gyllenhaal tackle Shakespeare’s classic tale of jealousy, betrayal, and power.
While the veteran actor is tackling his own physical struggles, he had nothing but admiration—and amusement—when speaking about his co-star.
“He’s a complicated guy,” Washington, 70, said of Gyllenhaal. “He’s going to be brilliant in this. He’s nuts. I love him. He’s complicated. But he’s already got a handle on it.”