Denzel Washington reveals he is ‘tired of movies’: ‘I don’t watch’

Denzel Washington ranks his priorities from highest 2 lowest.

For the two-time Oscar winner, 70, despite starring in a slew of hit films, he isn’t interested in watching them.

“I don’t watch movies, man. I really don’t,” Washington told GQ during a recent sit-down with “Highest 2 Lowest” director Spike Lee and his co-star A$AP Rocky. “I’m just being honest with you! I don’t watch movies! I don’t go to the movies. I don’t watch movies. … I’m tired of movies. Yeah.”

Lee, 68, then inquired about how many movies Washington has been in. 

“Too many. I think 50!” the star quipped.

Washington first made his debut on the big screen in the 1981 comedy-drama “Carbon Copy.”

A few years later, he took home his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the 1989 film “Glory.” He also earned an Academy Award for the 2001 crime thriller “Training Day.”

Washington most recently stars in “Highest 2 Lowest” as a music mogul who is targeted with a ransom plot. The movie hits Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.

Earlier this month, Washington made headlines for another one of his hot takes.

The “Fences” star confessed that winning an Oscar isn’t important to him.

“I don’t do it for Oscars. I don’t care about that kind of stuff,” Washington elaborated on an episode of “Jake’s Takes.”

“I’ve been at this a long time, and there’s time when I won and shouldn’t have won and then didn’t win and should’ve won,” he added. “Man gives the award. God gives the reward.”

Washington noted: “I’m not that interested in Oscars.”

“People ask me, ‘Where do I keep it?’ Well, next to the other one. I’m not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it,” he continued. “On my last day, [Oscars] aren’t going to do me a bit of good.”

Washington’s words come after he was snubbed by the Academy for his performance in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II.”

The actor was expected to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Washington previously scored nominations at both 2025 Golden Globes and 2025 Critics Choice Awards.

“Gladiator II” is set over two decades after the original “Gladiator” film, which starred Russell Crowe. In the sequel, Paul Mescal portrayed the grownup Lucius, the son of Crowe’s character, Maximus, who ends up forced into slavery and becomes a gladiator to earn his freedom, much like his dad did in the first movie.

Washington played former slave and Lucius’ mentor, Macrinus.

In February, after being asked about the Oscar snub, he sarcastically responded to the New York Times: “Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset.”

“Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’ve got — I don’t wanna say other fish to fry, but there’s a reality at this age,” he stated. “The beginning of wisdom is understanding. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that’s exciting.”

Months later, Washington also lost out on a Tony nomination for his performance in “Othello.”

The Broadway show saw astronomical ticket prices, but Washington made no apologies.

During an April interview with Entertainment Tonight, a reporter noted that some seats cost “upwards of $900.”

Washington responded: “But as low as $50. People don’t talk about that.” The production was also selling $49 student rush tickets.

“It’s gotta make you feel like you’re Beyoncé or Jay-Z, with tickets being in demand like that?” the journalist continued.

Washington answered with a laugh, “I haven’t quite felt like that. I can’t sing or rap.” 

Meanwhile, in November, the “Equalizer” vet admitted that he already has retirement on the mind.

“I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. Probably not that many,” Washington said during an interview with Australia’s Today at the time. “I want to do things I haven’t done. I’ve played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70. After that I’m playing Hannibal. After that I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther.’”

“After that I’m going to do the film ‘Othello.’ After that I’m going to do ‘King Lear.’ After that I’m going to retire.”

“Black Panther” became one of the MCU’s signature franchises, with the 2018 film starring the late Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o and Michael B. Jordan earning more than $1.3 billion at the box office.

Boseman died at age 43 in 2020 from colon cancer.

The 2022 sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” was a tribute to the late actor and continued the story of Wakanda and its people.

Washington picks films that hold a special meaning to him.

“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in,” he told Empire magazine in August 2024. “I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley.”

“We had a great go-round the first go-round [on ‘American Gangster’], and here we are,” continued Washington. “He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration.”

“We should all want to feel like that at 86,” the star added.