Denzel Washingtongets honest about cancel culture in today’s society, offering a thoughtful response. Best known forThe Equalizerfranchise and for films likeTraining Day(2001),The Book of Eli(2010, andFlight(2012), Washington remains one of the most beloved and celebrated actors working in Hollywood today, and he can now be seen inSpike Lee’sHighest 2 Lowest(2025).
No matter how respected a Hollywood figure may seem, however, the last few years have shown that nobody is immune to cancel culture, with movements often gaining steam on social media due to actor or director photos or comments. Washington has so far remained unaffected by this harmful phenomenon.
During a recent interview withComplex,Washington is asked directly about his relationship to public opinion, and the actor makes clear it’s not something he cares much about. Check out his comment below:
“Who cares? What made public support so important to begin with? You can’t lead and follow at the same time, and you can’t follow and lead at the same time.”
Washington goes on to explain that the only thing he follows is his religion, andthe trick to avoiding cancel culture is to never "" in the first place:
What This Means For Denzel Washington
Evidently,Washington’s approach in terms of cancel culture and public opinion has been working for himand his career. Though he has only won two Oscars over the course of his long career, he continues to be nominated for his work regularly, and he’s widely considered a Hollywood heavyweight when it comes to his performances and the legitimacy he lends projects.
Highest 2 Lowestreviews have been very positive from critics and audiences alikeso far, with Washington’s fifth collaboration with Lee already looking like a winner. Before this latest thriller, Washington was widely celebrated as the best part ofRidley Scott’s divisiveGladiator 2(2024).
The Scott film followed a warm reception toThe Equalizer 3(2023), which performed almost exactly as well as its two predecessors at the box office, indicating thatthere is a consistent audience for Washington in this type of role. The actor even announced thatThe Equalizer 4and5are in development.
All of this is to say thatWashington seemingly has things figured out, and not worrying about how the public views him is a winning strategy. That’s not to say that Washington won’t say or do something in the future that results in criticism, but it’s clear that he won’t care if it does.
Our Take On Washington’s Cancel Culture Attitude
Part of an actor’s job is arguably to have a deep understanding of how they come across to people. Actors have to be able to become someone else, andknowing how they are perceived is a necessary part of a successful transformation.
Outside of how this relates to an actor’s job, though, stressing too much about public opinion seems like a recipe for an unhappy life.Washington comes across as a genuine and assured person, and whether one likes what he’s about or not, these qualities have undoubtedly helped him excel as a charismatic movie star.
