Denzel Washington has had a plethora of iconic movies and projects to his name ever since he stepped foot in Hollywood all the way back in the late 1970s.
Working alongside notable directors, Washington and Edward Zwick spent a lot of time together filming the 1989 movie Glory. After almost 30 years, the director talked about how Denzel Washington is a force that should not be messed with.
Edward Zwick Discovered The Brilliance of Denzel Washington
In 1989, the two gentlemen worked on the film titled Glory. Following the story of an all-Black regiment during the American Civil War, the film is an intense drama that explores the inhumanness of humans. The drama was heightened by the prejudicial tension that the colonel faced from both sides.
All in all, the film was an exploration of the American Civil War and working alongside Washington was a privilege for Edward Zwick as the director wrote in his autobiography. In an interview with IndieWire, Zwick sat down for a chat about his biography titled “Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood.”
While talking about emerging stars, the interviewer asked Zwick about his work with Denzel Washington. The director did not hold his compliments as he compared Washington to a Ferrari.
It was like discovering a Ferrari. And all you have to do is just put your hand on the steering wheel and go like this, and the car will go screaming around the corner. His abilities to be present, and to be creative in a moment, so exceeded anybody I’d ever worked with.
He further continued,
He saved my a** countless times with scenes that wouldn’t have worked. The number of times that I recall him saying to me, “I can act those words.” In other words, “Those words suck, don’t worry, I can do that.” And he didn’t mean that cruelly.
Denzel Washington went on to win an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his character in Edward Zwick’s Glory and the world got to meet an emerging actor who would change the course of many movies and projects in Hollywood.
As Edward Zwick continued to talk about other actors who were as exceptional as Denzel Washington, the name of Tom Cruise came up during the conversation.
Why Are Actors Like Denzel Washington And Tom Cruise Gold?
Both actors are famous in their respective genres and have done a plethora of movies in Hollywood ever since their careers started. Starring in these iconic movies has given them millions of fans. So what do they do differently?
Director Edward Zwick may have the answer in his interview as he talked about what makes actors like Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington so great. Hint: It’s got nothing to do with looks.
His instincts about scripts, like Tom Cruise’s — there are reasons why these guys have careers with that kind of longevity. It’s not because of some play of light and shadow on their face. They are every bit as smart and as gifted as any director or any writer.
Hence, the actors are still around in Hollywood with millions of people tuning in to watch their movies. Of course, there are other actors who haven’t been mentioned.
Washington’s Glory received a rating of 7.8/10 on IMDB and a whopping 95% on Rotten Tomatoes after its release. The Oscar-winning movie is available to rent on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
