On this date in 2007, Jay-Z released his American Gangster album, which also served as the soundtrack to the movie of the same name with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.
It was a conceptual album that was inspired by the film of the same name. The album spawned hits like “I Know”, “Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)”, and “Blue Magic”. Guest features include Idris Elba, Lil Wayne, Beanie Sigel, and Nas. The album features production from Diddy, The Neptunes, Just Blaze, and The Hitmen.
American Gangster debuted at number one on Billboard 200, selling 425,861 copies in the first week. This album tied Jigga with Elvis Presley for second-most number one albums. It was a commercial success and viewed as a good follow-up from Hov’s 2006 album Kingdom Come.
Denzel Washington is a Hollywood legend, and that goes without saying. His seamless portrayal of different types of characters has greatly highlighted his versatility over the decades. Moreover, this versatility also shines through his ability to play historical figures. Throughout his illustrious career, Denzel Washington has taken on real-life roles portraying the likes of Malcolm X and Frank Lucas.
A multiple Oscar-award-winning actor, Denzel Washington has played a few unforgettable roles. From Glory in the 1980s to The Pelican Brief in the early 1990s and even The Little Things in 2021, Denzel’s powerful presence and immersion into his characters always make his movies memorable. With so many acclaimed, unforgettable performances in his resume, let’s review some of the times Denzel has displayed incredible acting dexterity. They’ve become etched in the memories of moviegoers for a long time.
7. Antwone Fisher (2002)
Antwone Fisher is a film about a young US Navy sailor (who goes by the same name) with a troubled past. After a violent confrontation with a colleague, Antwone is forced to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Jerome Davenport, a character played by Washington. In this role as a psychiatrist, Washington is a compassionate guide that helps Antwone gradually deal with his issues and re-discover himself. The movie won multiple awards, including the Stanley Kramer Award from the Producers Guild of America. This was especially noteworthy because of how it highlighted critical social issues. Furthermore, Antwone Fisher is also an example of Washington’s ability to portray real characters. The movie was based on the life of an actual former US Navy sailor.
6. Fences (2016)
Denzel’s role in Fences is unforgettable because of how well he immersed himself into the character of Troy Maxson, a frustrated man. Set in the 1950s, the movie highlights the pains of a Black family man who used to be a baseball player but now works as a garbage collector. Moreover, Troy Maxson is angry about the failure he feels his life has become. Coupled with this is the harshness the system metes out to him as a Black man. Eventually, he takes it out on his family, including his wife, played rather flawlessly by Viola Davis. Thanks to both Washington’s and Davis’ powerful acting and presence, Fences earned four Academy Awards nominations, with the latter winning for Best Supporting Actress.
5. American Gangster (2007)
This crime drama sees Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, a real-life depiction of a drug lord who controlled the heroin trade in Harlem. American Gangster showed Lucas as a ruthless yet vulnerable and calculating drug mastermind. Like most crime overlords in history, he got caught. However, Lucas went down with style, snitching on so many New York cops that a good number of them were arrested and convicted. American Gangster was a critical darling, eventually earning multiple Academy Award nods. Overall, it grossed over $260 million worldwide.
4. Inside Man (2006)
In one of his most captivating roles ever, Denzel Washington portrayed an NYPD negotiator (Detective Keith Frazier) in Inside Man. A bank heist goes down, and Detective Frazier is called upon to handle the situation. Keith Frazier is one of Denzel’s most unforgettable roles because of the wit with which he delivered his lines in the film. Besides this, Inside Man has quite an intriguing plot. Moreover, it’s worth the watch for its captivating, dramatic moments.
3. Philadelphia (1998)
In Philadelphia, Denzel Washington starred as Joe Miller, a personal injury lawyer representing Andrew Beckett, played by Tom Hanks. Beckett, who is also a lawyer, gets fired from his law firm on suspicions of being gay and having AIDS. He ends up convincing a reluctant Joe Miller to represent him. As the plot develops, it is evident that Joe Miller’s inclinations change, and he becomes more open-minded.
Philadelphia was one of the first Hollywood films that shined an unbiased light on the topic of AIDS. The movie also continued establishing Denzel Washington as an actor with great range. Moreover, his ability to take on and succeed in roles that depicted social issues has become a prominent part of his career. That also makes Joe Miller one of Denzel’s most unforgettable roles.
2. Malcolm X (1992)
Malcolm X is another film where Denzel Washington depicted a real-life person. Collaborating with director Spike Lee on this one, Washington acts out Malcolm X’s life from his humble beginnings to his life as a preacher and leader. Unfortunately, Malcolm X was nominated for two Academy Awards but didn’t win any, greatly displeasing his longtime friend, Spike Lee. However, it won multiple NAACP awards, including the Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Award.
1. Training Day (2001)
It would be difficult to think of unforgettable Denzel Washington roles without Training Day coming to mind. Known for its description of blatant and unabashed corruption, Training Day is a masterpiece that still holds relevance in film culture today. Washington masterfully played the role of Alonzo Harris, a police detective and the head of LAPD’s narcotics division.
As the name suggests, the film is set across one day – one day for Alonzo Harris to show newly promoted detective Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) how to be a narcotics detective. Unbeknownst to Jake, however, Detective Harris works with the Russian mafia and would do anything to achieve his criminal objectives. Since Training Day, Alonzo Harris has become an important name in crime cinema. Denzel Washington deviated from his usual role as a hero and played a villain with dastardly motives. Overall, Washington was electric in his role, delivering a standout performance. It’s no wonder it won him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Denzel Washington remains a must see box office talent. Washington’s latest film, The Equalizer 3, will bring a four-day Labor Day total of $42 million. That is the second-highest Labor Day opening weekend of all time.
According to Entertainment Weekly, The Equalizer’s Friday to Sunday total is $34.5 million. The leader for Labor Day weekend all time is Marvel’s Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
The Equalizer 3 also made $26.1 million intertnaionally for a global total of $60.6 million across three days.
The film stars Washington as elite ex-CIA operative Robert McCall who takes down and Italian mob terrorizing a village of people. You can see the trailer below.
The Equalizer 3 is set to blow fans away in the final installment of the beloved franchise. Based on the 1980s TV series, The Equalizer made its theatrical debut in 2014. The film introduced a new audience to the badass, ex-military vigilante, Robert McCall, played by Denzel Washington. The first movie showed his origin as the Equalizer as he took on a Russian sex trading syndicate, marking the first time he donned the moniker. In The Equalizer 2, McCall went head-to-head with his past and faced his former partner who became a mercenary.
The Equalizer 3 promises to be the biggest adventure yet, as McCall takes to picturesque southern Italy for peace. However, he finds himself in the crosshairs of the Italian Mafia. The movie has also been confirmed to be the last round of McCall’s events. Fans can expect to see Denzel Washington at his most fierce. In the upcoming movie, he revisits his past demons to face his biggest threat yet.
The third and final Equalizer movie has been scheduled for theatrical release on September 1, 2023. Perfectly set for Labor Day weekend, viewers have more time to enjoy the movie. In the past few months, promotion for the movie has kicked off with multiple posters, teasers, and trailers that promise an explosive and thrilling experience.
As expected, The Equalizer 3 will have a full-scale theatrical release. However, The Equalizer 3 will also be joining the first and second movies on Netflix in the future. This will be the best pick for those who would rather stream at home. However, a streaming release date has not yet been confirmed. Regardless, fans can expect to find the blockbuster on streaming by late 2023, or early 2024.
The biggest change in The Equalizer 3 from the previous movies is the change of scenery. While the first two movies were set in Boston, Massachusetts, the final movie takes place in the Italian countryside. The new setting offers new and creative locations for stunts and interesting scenes as can be seen in the trailer. The mafia may seem to have the advantage on their home turf but the fast-paced teasers and trailers have shown that a change of scene is not enough to deter Robert McCall.
Another much-anticipated element of the final movie is the cast. During The Equalizer 2, Fans said goodbye to Melissa Leo’s Susan Plummer. Many fans were left wondering who would serve as Robert McCall’s friend and confidant in the final movie. The decision to cast Dakota Fanning has surely been a joy to many fans. She will be playing Emma Collins, a CIA agent who works with McCall as he takes on the mafia. Their fans are excited for the two actors to work together again. Nearly 20 years ago, they shared the screen in 2004’s Man on Fire. Other new cast members that fans are excited to see in The Equalizer 3 include Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, Sophia Ammar, and Remo Girone, among others.
If there’s anyone who knows the man behind the myth of Tupac Shakur, it’s filmmaker Allen Hughes. Hughes, who is behind works such as Menace II Society and The Book OF Eli, is also the creative force behind Dear Mama, an FX documentary series about Tupac’s life. The series focuses on both Tupac and his mother, legendary Black Panther Afeni. It’s premiere set a record for an unscripted show on FX.
Hughes has shared some of that insight in a new interview on The Rich Eisen Show. Specifically, Hughes compared 2Pac’s potential to that of all-time great, Denzel Washington. 2Pac appeared in six non-cameo film and television roles before his death. These included films such as Juice, Above The Rim, and Gridlock’d.
Tupac Would Have Given Denzel “A Run For His Money”
“If he had been here, I think Denzel would have some stiff competition,” Hughes said. “He was that talented. Denzel and 2Pac share one thing in common, and I’ve seen them all. I’ve been with world-class pimps, charismatics all over the world, storytellers. The ‘it’ thing — you know, in streets or in the movie business — Denzel and 2Pac possessed. When they walk in a room, the emotional intelligence was off the charts, the social intelligence was off the charts. Genius level of social intelligence.” Hughes never directed Shakur but was heavily involved in the West Coast scene.
Hughes also spoke about 2Pac likely putting music on the backburner, something the musician himself had alluded to before his death. “The difference is, Denzel is very wise and can control his emotions and 2Pac [couldn’t]. But 2Pac would’ve been one our greatest leading men, would’ve been a multiple Academy Award winner. And the music would’ve been secondary. I’m sure he would’ve still continued doing music, but he would be huge in the film world.” A thought-forgotten 1996 interview with 2Pac revealed that he wanted to move away from music and focus on film. But what do you think – would 2Pac have rivaled Denzel? Let us know in the comments below.
If you have Twitter, then you know that there’s an anniversary to be celebrated every day. In a world full of nostalgia, sometimes the bird app delivers on hitting all the right notes. Sometimes an anniversary will appear for a film or television show that I forgot existed. Thankfully for the app, I’m reminded of the necessary realization that my body is aging at a frightening pace. However, for just a split second, I can recall the first viewing of whatever movie or TV show is being celebrated.
Today, the app reminded us that May 1st is the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest sports movies created. ‘He Got Game’ is now old enough to start looking for other health insurance. Instead of staying with its parents for another year. The film stars titan of the film industry, Denzel Washington. As well as NBA legend Ray Allen. Who plays a young Jesus Shuttlesworth hoping to make his professional basketball dreams come true. Check out some of the best tweets from the anniversary celebration.
The Spike Lee film follows Allen’s character during one of the biggest decisions of his life. Shuttlesworth (Allen) is choosing which college he will attend to further his basketball career. However, along the way, Washington’s character (Shuttlesworth’s father) is tasked with recruiting his son to a certain school. But the recruiting services of Washington’s character mean more than just getting his son to play for a certain school.
The movie has become a cultural icon and one of the greatest sports movies of all time. Washington delivers in the only way he knows how. While Allen does a great job for an actor whose day job is to put baskets in the hoop. Thank you, Twitter, for the reminder of this film and everything that comes along with it. But now it is time for the biggest question. Where do you rank this film among sports movies? What is your favorite sports movie? Give us your answers in the comment section. For the latest news on sports and entertainment, keep it right here with HNHH.
The Equalizer showcased Denzel Washington as a kickass action hero. Washington played Robert McCall, a retired DIA operative who worked at a hardware store in Boston. McCall proceeds to go on a bloody vigilante rampage against criminals, namely members of the Russian mob. A sequel was already in the works before the first film’s 2014 release and The Equalizer 2 came out in 2018. The sequel expanded the film’s scope to the globe, watching McCall uncover a DIA conspiracy and getting vengeance for the death of a friend.
Again, a sequel was essentially greenlit before the second film was even released. Series director Antoine Fuqua was interested in making a closed trilogy and The Equalizer 3 officially went into production in 2022. Now we have an incredibly violent trailer to enjoy as we are introduced to Robert McCall’s last ride.
“The Equalizer 3” Has Denzel Take On The Mafia
The Equalizer 3, per Fuqua’s vision for a trilogy-ending film, has moved from Boston to Italy. No longer a hardware store worker or Lyft driver, Robert McCall is now happily retired somewhere on the Italian coast. He’s got some nice local friends, everyone in the community loves him. Finally, it seems like McCall just be happy and live his life. And then the mafia shows up. As one character can be heard telling McCall, “this like many small towns, has a problem. The mafia is like cancer, there is no cure.” McCall, who can’t stand by and watch the innocent be victimized, chooses to make an enemy of the mafia. This leads into the other half of the trailer, which is a whole of Denzel Washington killing people. The trailer literally ends with him standing a guy in the head with a revolver and then firing through the guy’s head.
The previous Equalizer films have not shied away from violence but in a similar manner to John Wick, the films have embraced it more and more as the series has gone on. The Equalizer 3 promises to be bigger and bloodier than its predecessors while also contemplating whether McCall can ever have a “normal life”. Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Sonia Ben Ammar are also set to appear. Due to its setting, the film will also have a strong Italian cast component, notably Remo Girone. The Equalizer 3 is set to release on September 1.
Denzel Washington started his acting career in the 1980s. Since stepping into Hollywood, he has been involved in noteworthy films. Washington has won several awards and is often recognized for his roles in pushing the culture forward. His résumé is stacked with movies that have been blockbusters or gone on to win awards. There are too many to choose from when constructing a list of his best. However, we’ve managed to reel in nine standouts.
9. The Great Debaters (2007)
Some of Denzel Washington’s best work is when he depicts a real person. In The Great Debaters, he takes on the persona of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson of Wiley Coach. Not only does Washington star in it, but he also directed the 2007 film. This is one of his more important roles as the movie circulates around an all-Black college that defeats Harvard University in an academic debate. The plot is based on a true story, in which Denzel delivers a performance that shines a light on an essential fact in Black History and American History.
8. Inside Man (2006)
Some may want to see the bad guys get away, and some don’t. In Inside Man, Washington was up against a criminal mastermind he was no match for. It’s safe to say that Washington is comfortable portraying a police officer. However, this time, he isn’t dirty. Also, he once again works with director Spike Lee. This is their fourth movie together as they have collaborated on Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, and He Got Game. This might be their best one yet.
7. Philadelphia (1993)
Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks joined forces early in their career. Long before they became the men they are today, the two starred in Philadelphia. Hanks plays a gay man suing his employer for firing him because he has AIDS. Washington portrays his lawyer, who was initially unwilling to take the case. This is one of the first big-screen Hollywood films to shed light on many certain shunned issues. Philadelphia touched on LGBTQ issues, HIV/AIDS epidemic, and discrimination.
6. Training Day (2001)
Training Day might be Denzel’s most popular role. Everyone remembers Alonzo screaming, “King Kong ain’t got s*** on me!” Time and time again, Washington proves that there isn’t a role he can’t conquer. Playing a dirty cop, you hated him and were relieved when he was murdered. Washington made you feel a way with this role, as many people will always discuss Training Day when discussing the actor’s career. The two main actors in the film, Washington and Ethan Hawke, won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.
5. American Gangster (2007)
There is not a role that Denzel Washington can’t play. Whether he’s a fighter, pilot, coach, or cop, Washington makes it look effortless. He does it again in American Gangster as he plays notorious Harlem crime boss Frank Lucas. In another biopic for Washington, he embodies Lucas. It’s almost as if the characters and the setting aren’t new to him. After all, he is from New York, so he may be familiar with tales of Lucas’s street life moves.
4. Glory (1989)
In 1989, Denzel received his first Oscar for his role in Glory. He won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Private Silas Trip. In Glory, the film focuses on Black men’s contributions to the Civil War. It was one of the first big-screen Hollywood movies to shed light on Black soldiers then. This was just the beginning for Washington.
3. Malcolm X (1992)
The way Denzel portrays real people is unmatched. In Malcolm X, he acts and narrates the story of the late-great activist. From the slick back hair to the speech, Washington makes for the splitting image of Malcolm. With Denzel portraying one of the most influential figures in history, he may have had similar views to Malcolm. The film earned Washington an Oscar nomination.
2. Fences (2016)
Decades later and he still knows how to give life to a character. In 2016, Denzel shone as Troy in Fences, with Viola Davis playing Rose, his wife. The film received several nominations and took home a few awards. In fact, Washington himself won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play. Fences was originally a play that first opened in 1985. It was revived in 2010 on Broadway. Washington and Davis starred in the play as well. Washington also won Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture for the film.
1. Remember the Titans (2000)
Denzel Washington simply excelled as Coach Herman Boone in Remember the Titans. Based on a true story, Washington embodies Coach Boone’s hard-nosed leadership attributes. It’s easy to get sucked into this film as you might even believe Washington really coaches high school football or has before. Remember the Titans is easily one of the best sports films ever. A movie about a team coming together during the time of segregation is powerful to see. Washington leads the way with an all-time performance.
Drake is one of the world’s most recognizable entertainers now, but once upon a time, he was just another kid growing up in Toronto. During that time, though, Drake met a global star in Denzel Washington, who recently spoke about the encounter in a new interview with Good Morning America.
“You just never know who you touch.”
Denzel Washington talks about the impact the Boys & Girls Club has had on his life as he celebrates its 5,000th location. @reevewill has more. pic.twitter.com/4zUUNaX1Mi
Towards the end of the segment, Washington told the story:
“You just never know who you touch. I met a kid in Toronto who came up and was fascinated because I was like this star, and he wanted to talk to me, and he couldn’t believe that he met me. Well, 10 or 15 years later, he came up and he said, ‘You don’t remember when you met me.’ I said, ‘No.’ His name is Drake. And he said what I said to him, he never forgot.”
Washington was on the show to discuss the Boys & Girls Clubs opening its 5,000th location, since he’s a spokesperson for the organization who benefited from it as a child. He explained, “I was that 6-year-old kid that was nervous. What am I now? I’m still that 6-year-old, wide-eyed kid who’s curious about life. I was being taught about grace, about winning with grace and losing with grace, and being a leader and all of these things.”
