Denzel Washington returned to Broadway to portray Shakespeare’s Othello and made it clear that he was a theater guy first and foremost.
During an interview with CBS News, the Academy Award-winning star of Training Day and Fences emphasized that theater remains his true calling despite his massive Hollywood success.
“I’m a stage actor who does film; it’s not the other way around. I did stage first. I learned how to act on stage, not on film,” Washington explained.
The celebrated actor, now 70, currently headlines the revival of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello at the Barrymore Theatre in New York City.
The production also stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the villainous Iago.
Washington dismissed the label “Hollywood actor,” preferring instead to identify with his roots in Mt. Vernon, New York.
“What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor? Myself, I’m from Mt. Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mt. Vernon actor,'” Denzel Washington said. “I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means. Somebody who’s famous on film? A film actor, great success on film?”
Washington first tackled the iconic role of Othello decades ago as a student at Fordham University.
Now, stepping into the Moor’s shoes again, he acknowledges the influence of legendary actor James Earl Jones, who portrayed Othello in the last Broadway revival back in 1982.
“James Earl Jones was my northern star when I was in college,” Washington shared. “He was who I wanted to be. I didn’t get to see his Othello, but I know it wasn’t as good as my 22-year-old interpretation. But you know, it’s my turn.”
The actor also offered insights into the differences between working on stage and film, highlighting the actor’s control in theater compared to the director-driven nature of cinema.
“Movies are a filmmaker’s medium. You shoot it, and then you’re gone, and they cut together and add music and do all of that. Theatre is an actor’s medium. The curtain goes up, nobody can help you,” he explained.
Othello continues its run at the Barrymore Theatre until June 8.