The Big Picture
- Denzel Washington’s commitment to quality has ensured his lasting legacy in the film industry.
- Washington turned down the opportunity to star in Se7en due to the film’s dark subject and concerns about the director.
- Although he regrets turning down certain roles, Washington’s career still thrived.
In the 21st century, the age of the “movie star” has dwindled, as highly-anticipated films tend to generate audience interest based on their association with previously existing intellectual property works. While few actors can inspire audience turnout based on their name alone, Denzel Washington has never failed to draw in viewers for his latest projects. Washington has been at the center of the film industry since the late 1980s, and his commitment to quality has ensured that his greatest performances will not be easily forgotten. Although he’s had relatively few critical missteps within his career, Washington has admitted there are a few roles that he regrets turning down. Had things gone differently, Washington could have been in a terrifying neo-noir crime thriller and played one of the most iconic anti-heroes in modern screen history.
Why Denzel Washington Turned Down ‘Se7en’
Following his Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actor for his trailblazing performance in the 1989 war drama Glory, Washington had no shortage of projects that he could choose from. Although Washington showed his unflinching commitment to prestigious material with his powerful performance as the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s 1992 masterpiece Malcolm X, he also showed an interest in mainstream genre films like Ricochet, Crimson Tide, and Virtuosity. His immense charisma and ability to elevate “genre” films gave Washington a lasting legacy within the action genre.
Considering the combined box office draw and critical acclaim he received for his performances, Washington was shortlisted for many impactful projects. Washington was offered the opportunity to co-star as David Mills in Se7en, David Fincher’s 1995 crime thriller, but turned down the opportunity because he felt that the film’s dark subject material was “too demonic” compared to the projects he routinely appeared in; Brad Pitt was given the role instead. Washington also expressed concerns about working with Fincher, whose only feature film directorial credit at the time was the botched science fiction sequel Alien 3. His hesitations weren’t unwarranted, as Fincher’s experience making Alien 3 had been disastrous, and nearly inspired him to quit the industry entirely.
Denzel Washington Re-Teams With ‘The Equalizer 3’ Director for Hannibal Movie
Antoine Fuqua will helm the untitled feature based on the real-life warrior.
Although Washington admitted that he regretted turning down the role, he stated that the role “was for Brad at the time.” While Washington’s career managed to survive the miscalculation, Pitt’s trajectory as a star skyrocketed thanks to his powerful performance in Se7en. Acclaimed as a powerful mix of the investigative thriller and horror genres, Se7en allowed Pitt to flex his dramatic muscles thanks to the film’s now iconic twist ending. While it certainly would have been interesting to see Washington work with Morgan Freeman again after their success together in Glory, the role was instrumental in establishing Pitt as a leading man and initiating his successful creative partnership with Fincher.
Denzel Washington Could Have Been Michael Clayton
Although he won his second Academy Award for playing a demented corrupt cop in the 2001 crime thriller Training Day, Washington nearly got the opportunity to play a very different type of anti-hero. Washington was offered the title role in the 2007 film Michael Clayton, a legal thriller that centers on a rogue “fixer” who has to create legal loopholes for a New York law firm’s corrupt clients. The role ultimately went to George Clooney, who showed a dark side to his charismatic personality with his critically acclaimed performances. Both Clooney’s work and the film received nominations at the Academy Awards, with Tilda Swinton taking home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as the counselor Karen Crowder.
Although he stated that the script was one of the best projects he had been offered in a long time, Washington turned down Michael Clayton because he was concerned about working with a first-time director. While screenwriter Tony Gilroy had generated acclaim for his brilliant work mapping out the Bourne franchise, Michael Clayton was his first project as a director. Although Michael Clayton was a highly ambitious project that could have been challenging for a debut filmmaker to pull off, Gilroy silenced his doubters by creating a modern classic and earning Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. He has continued to prove himself as a storyteller with his underrated action spinoff The Bourne Legacy and his work on the groundbreaking Disney+ Star Wars spinoff show Andor.
Although he may have regretted missing out on the Michael Clayton role, Washington has been no stranger to playing complicated, dark characters. The same year of Michael Clayton’s release delivered one of his greatest screen performances to date as the mobster Frank Lucas in American Gangster, Ridley Scott’s thrilling crime epic about the true story of history’s most powerful black gangster. Nevertheless, it certainly would have been interesting to see what Washington could have done with the Michael Clayton role. It wouldn’t be his first legal thriller, as Washington has appeared in courtroom classics like Philadelphia and The Pelican Brief.
Where Does Denzel Washington Go Next?
While his pickiness may have cost him a few great roles, Washington’s high standards for the films that he appears in is why he has endured as a screen idol for so long. There’s a baseline level of quality within all of Washington’s work; while films like the 1998 horror thriller Fallen may not rise to the same level as Training Day or Malcolm X, Washington has avoided appearing in any flat-out disasters. It’s impressive that a star of Washington’s caliber has continued to challenge himself, despite the success that he already has.
As evidenced by the critical and financial success of The Equalizer 3, Washington continues to choose quality projects from prestigious directors. Although he has experimented with many types of films, Washington has set his sights on the epic genre, as he will next be seen in the sword-and-sandals epic Gladiator 2 and Antoine Fuqua’s historical drama about the life of the ancient warrior Hannibal. Despite his advancing age, Washington has shown no signs of slowing down, and will likely deliver many more classics before he eventually retires.
