Denzel Washington will go down as one of the best actors of this generation. A two-time Academy Award winner who isn’t defined by a single role. The 69-year-old began his journey at the American Conservatory Theater in San Fransisco. Washington made his film debut in the comedy Carbon Copy, and it’s been uphill for the veteran actor. Washington has been in diverse set of roles; whether it was a corrupt police officer (Training Day), a runaway slave fighting in the army (Glory), a football coach (Remember the Titans), or a human rights activist (Malcolm X), the Oscar winner has no shortage of roles that high his immense talent.
It’s hard to nail down the five most memorable moments of Washington’s 50 years career. The actor has starred in over 60 films during that time span and has produced some iconic moments that still live in pop culture today. Below are the five most memorable scenes with the two-time Oscar winner.
Trip Gets Flogged (Glory)
This scene most likely got Denzel Washington his first Oscar. Glory is supposed be about an escape slave fighting for their freedom during the Civil War. However, when Trip caught after going AWOL (only for Shaw to find out later that he was looking for regular shoes for his men), Shaw does something that the former slave was fighting against: whipping.
The whipping itself is gut-wrenching, but what this scene so amazing is Denzel’s face throughout the entire moment. The bravado and sadness he displays is truly heart-breaking, especially after you see all of the old scars on his back. Matthew Broderick’s reaction was great too.
He clearly doesn’t want to do it, but it felt that he was being undermined by Trip, so he needed to showcase some of power as a leader. However, that single tear is what really put that moment into true perspective. Denzel was able to perform with a varying degree of emotions organically. His brash and arrogant was a mask of fear and sadness. An unforgettable scene to a really good film.
Malcolm X’s Powerful Speech (Malcolm X)
Malcolm X was a controversial figure, but the human rights activist had an important mission in protecting Black Americans. This Spike Lee film was a strong recount of the life of Malcolm X, and it’s scary just how much Denzel embodies the real life minister. This scene alone gets across Malcolm’ X’s message; though the days of slavery are over, Malcolm feels that Black Americans still aren’t treated with respect in America.
Even worse, Malcolm feels that the White man is purposely tainting the Black community in order to weaken their morals and values. Denzel delivers the speech with believe conviction and a nice cadence that allows the audience to soak in every word in his speech.
King Kong Ain’t Got S**t On Me! (Training Day)
Where you go back to Denzel’s filmography this scene is the one that pops up the most. This was Washington’s first time playing the bad guy, and Alonzo Harris is one of the scariest villains of all time. A corrupt soul with too much power, Harris set a plan to kill his partner, Jake Hoyt, and make off with the money to hand over to the Russians.
Alonzo’s plan ultimately failed. His abuse of power backfired immensely, and Jake left off with the money Alonzo desperately needed. What’s great about Training Day is that it explores morality through the eyes of two police officers from different worlds. Interestingly enough, the NAACP paid a visit to Washington onset because they weren’t particularly thrilled that he was playing the role of a corrupt police officer. But Denzel playing such a role blurred the lines about race and highlighted that it wasn’t about race, but character and values.
In terms of the actual scene itself, the waves of emotions that Alonzo goes through is awe-inspiring. He’s a dead man, but still tries to pull the tough guy act to save face. However, you can see the sadness and fear through the tone of his voice or even his body language. There’s no words to really describe how chilling this scene is. Alonzo is a monster, but you genuinely feel bad for him because he’s scared. That’s the power of incredible acting when a villain of this nature is able to garner some sympathy from the audience. Denzel rightfully won the Best Actor Oscar for this role.
Money Jar (American Gangster)
Once again, Denzel proves how magnetic of a performer he can be as the villain. In fact, it could be argued that Denzel’s best role lie in the anti-hero/villain category. Take American Gangster, which is a portrayal of drug kingpin Frank Lucas. The film opens with a bang by showing you just how much power Lucas has. He kills Tango in broad daylight in front of dozens of witnesses. The man doesn’t even bat an eyelash before and after he pushes the trigger. Denzel doesn’t say much in this scene, but it’s the shocking death and his nonchalant attitude that opens your eyes and gets you ready for a wild ride.
I Ain’t Got To Like You (Fences)
This scene hits hard because there’s a mirror of truth surrounding it. Troy Maxson has been scarred by life. He often feels worthless and jaded by the opportunities that never came his way. Troy is a tough man, but he DOES love his father despite his massive flaws. Fathers in general aren’t known to be nurturing like mothers, so sometimes it can feel like they don’t particularly love their children.
Though Troy never expresses his love for his son in this scene, he does teach him a valuable life lesson. Denzel gives such a commanding performance that it’s hard to take your eyes of it. His tone perfectly captures the gravity of the situation, but his mannerisms have you understand the deeper meaning behind his words. It scene chewing at it’s finest, and Jovan Adepo does an excellent job of showcasing his anger, frustration, and sadness through his facials expressions.
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