Denzel Washington has hinted he’ll be stepping away from acting in the next few years.
The double Oscar winner made the revelation during an appearance at the American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach, Florida over the weekend (June 15-16, 24) during which he opened up about his future plans and insisted he will be spending less time on screen.
He explained: “The things that are going on for me professionally behind the camera are as important to me now as in front of the camera. I think there’s less and less time I’ll be spending in front of the camera.”
During the talk, Denzel also opened up about working with his children on a Netflix adaptation of August Wilson’s ‘The Piano Lesson’, which was co-written and directed by his son Malcolm Washington, stars his other son John David Washington and was produced by his daughter Katia Washington.
The actor — who produced the movie — joked: “After about two weeks [on set], I went home. I was like, there’s really nothing for me to do here, I’m just in the way.”
He added of Malcolm’s directing work: “I’m not saying this because he’s my son, but he’s very talented. He went to the American Film Institute. He graduated number one in his class.”
Denzel also credited his wife Pauletta Pearson with inspiring their children to take up careers in the movie industry. He explained: “They all got it from their mother’s side. As long as I’ve known her, she’s been a movie buff, she got those kids to watch movies.”
He placed a video call to Pauletta during the onstage chat, and she joked that he wouldn’t be getting anything for Father’s Day after putting her on the spot. She said: “Tomorrow’s Father’s Day so you can forget getting a gift!”
Denzel’s upcoming projects include a role in the Gladiator sequel as well as Spike Lee’s crime drama High and Low.
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