Denzel Washington Lost Best Actor to Kevin Spacey and Stopped Voting for Oscars: ‘They Don’t Care About Me? I Don’t Care. I Gave Up. I Got Bitter.’

As a dedicated fan of Denzel Washington‘s illustrious career, I can’t help but empathize with his bittersweet journey through Hollywood’s grandest stage – the Oscars. Losing not once, but twice, to fellow titans of the craft, must have been a daunting experience for any actor. Yet, Denzel’s resilience shines through, as he transformed his momentary despair into a triumphant comeback, becoming one of the most respected and acclaimed actors of our time.

Denzel Washington shared with Esquire magazine that he felt a strong sense of disappointment when he didn’t win the 2000 Best Actor Oscar, which instead went to Kevin Spacey. At that time, Washington was already an established actor, having been nominated for three Oscars and winning one. His powerful performance in “The Hurricane” placed him among five nominees for best actor, alongside Spacey (“American Beauty”), Russell Crowe (“The Insider”), Richard Farnsworth (“The Straight Story”), and Sean Penn (“Sweet and Lowdown”). Despite winning a Golden Globe for his role, the Oscar went to Spacey.

At the Oscars, Kevin Spacey’s name was announced for ‘American Beauty.’ Washington recalled turning around to look at him, but there was no one else standing except those close to him. Instead, everyone else seemed to be looking at Washington. It wasn’t necessarily that it happened like this. Perhaps it was just how he perceived the situation. Maybe he felt as though everyone was staring at him. After all, why would everyone be gazing at him? Reflecting on it now, I don’t believe they were.

As a movie reviewer reflecting on a recent event, I must confess that after learning about my loss, I found myself reaching for a drink that very night – it was an inevitable response. I don’t wish to give the impression that I’m envious of another’s accolade, such as an Oscar win, or that my feelings were in any way similar to that. Rather, there were whispers in our industry about what transpired on the other side, and that is a matter strictly between him and his faith. I offer prayers for him, but his journey is his own – a path between him and his divine entity.

Washington was once again contending for the title of Best Actor with ‘The Hurricane’, this being the second time he’d been in the running. His first nomination came from his performance as Malcom X in Spike Lee’s film, but that year the award went to Al Pacino for ‘Scent of a Woman’. Following his second loss, Washington began harboring resentment and instructed his wife, Paulette, to cast her votes for him at the Academy Awards.

At one point, Pauletta, my wife, would spend time watching all the films nominated for Oscars – I told her I didn’t have interest in it. Essentially, if they don’t care about me, then neither do I. So, I chose not to watch them. I felt disillusioned and bitter. I held a self-pity party instead.

Two years following his defeat as Best Actor, Washington eventually claimed his first Academy Award in this category due to his role in “Training Day”. This achievement marked him as the second African-American actor to secure a win in this category, after Sidney Poitier for “Lilies of the Field” in 1963. Since then, Washington has amassed four additional Oscar nominations, with his most recent being in 2022 for “The Tragedy of Macbeth”. Currently, he’s once again contending for an Oscar, this time in the Best Supporting Actor category for “Gladiator 2”.

Head over to Esquire’s website to read Washington’s cover story in its entirety.

2024-11-19 23:46

Denzel Washington Lost Best Actor to Kevin Spacey and Stopped Voting for Oscars: ‘They Don’t Care About Me? I Don’t Care. I Gave Up. I Got Bitter.’

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