Denzel Washington is one of Hollywood’s most respected and appreciated actors of all time. Known for his ethereal acting skills as well as the multiplicity of awards he has won, the actor seems to have chosen all of the best roles for himself.

Denzel Washington is a widely acclaimed and respected actor

However, as it turns out, the Oscar-winning actor too, made two big mistakes in his cinematic career, even after being one of the best and pickiest role choosers in Hollywood. One of these mistakes includes not taking up the $93M Oscar-nominated Michael Clayton. 

Denzel Washington was the First Pick for Michael Clayton

A still from the movie Michael Clayton, which Washington lost to Clooney

A tale of ‘redemption’, Michael Clayton is one of the biggest blockbusters of Hollywood, known for its several awards with a glorious 91% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. The story revolves around a man, Michael Clayton, who decides to do that which is right rather than doing that which is easy, even if it meant losing everything he has worked so hard for. 

While Denzel Washington was the first pick for this Oscar-nominated movie, he refused to star in it for a rather surprising reason – the fact that it was being directed by the then-first-time director, Tony Gilroy. However, it seems that the actor was pretty much in for regret for rejecting the movie in the first place. 

In an exclusive interview with GQ magazine, when Washington was asked about the biggest mistakes he has ever made including turning down any roles, the actor immediately responded by saying ‘Michael Clayton’, further explaining how it was probably one of the most epic mistakes of his life. 

“It was the best material I had read in a long time, but I was nervous about a first-time director, and I was wrong.”

Since the actor declined the role, it was then given to none other than George Clooney, who is also one of the renowned actors in Hollywood. As it turned out, the movie’s director was nominated for ‘Best Director’ for his excellent work on Michael Clayton, with Clooney earning an Oscar for his outstanding performance in the movie. 

Denzel Washington’s Other Critically Acclaimed Movies

Denzel Washington has won 2 Oscars for his outstanding performance

While losing the $93M Oscar-nominated movie to George Clooney made Washington wish he had reconsidered his decision, it wasn’t like the actor needed to star in that movie to claim critics’ appraisal.

Denzel Washington is very widely known for his exceptional acting skills as well as his superhit movies. Almost every single movie that the actor has starred in has won at least one major award. The Oscar-winning actor’s significant blockbuster movies include The Equalizer series, Deja Vu, and Fences among others. 

Reports even claim that the actor had been working on other critically appraised biopics including The Great Debaters and American Gangster, which were released in the same year as Michael Clayton. All of these megahit movies further prove the point that Washington is worth all the love and praise he gets, even after making the mistake of not starring in the Michael Clayton. 

You can watch Michael Clayton on HBO Max.

Source: TheRichest