Denzel Washington talked about his Christian faith in an interview to promote his new film, “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
Washington said that before his grandmother died, he would attempt to honor her and God by living the rest of his days in a way that would make her proud.
“If you don’t have a spiritual anchor you’ll be easily blown by the wind and you’ll be led to depression,” Washington said after revealing that he doesn’t look at his career from an earthly perspective, saying of his faith.
Interviewer Maureen Dowd asked him if he had any concerns about the supposed “curse” that productions of Macbeth are alleged to suffer, and he denied by saying: “I’m a God-fearing man. I try not to worry. Fear is contaminated faith.”
Later the two-time Oscar winner recommended that Dowd read Scripture and asked her if she read the Bible, adding: “Start with the New Testament, because the Old Testament is harder. You get caught up in the who-begot-who-begot-who thing.”
This led Dowd to say that she thinks that Washington sounds like the pastor his late father was.
Washington’s young co-star in “Macbeth,” Corey Hawkins said that he sometimes prayed with Washington on the set, as he tends to act as a spiritual leader to those around him.
“Sometimes we get talking and you see the preacher in him. He’s just a natural-born charismatic leader who is not afraid to talk about his own faults or misgivings or shortcomings.”
When Dowd asked the 63-year-old movie star if he thinks Hollywood has become more diverse after the #OscarsSoWhite movement, he responded: “Hollywood is a street. I live in Los Angeles. I don’t live in Hollywood. I don’t know what Hollywood thinks. It’s not like it’s a bunch of people who get together on Tuesdays.”
“The enemy is the inner me. The Bible says in the last days — I don’t know if it’s the last days, it’s not my place to know — but it says we’ll be lovers of ourselves. The No. 1 photograph today is a selfie, ‘Oh, me at the protest.’ ‘Me with the fire.’ ‘Follow me.’ ‘Listen to me,’ Washington said, adding: “We’re living in a time where people are willing to do anything to get followed. What is the long or short-term effect of too much information? It’s going fast and it can be manipulated obviously in a myriad of ways. And people are led like sheep to slaughter.”
His conclusion was that in heaven, there are going to be two lines, the long line and the short line, and he is interested in being in the short line.
Several years ago, Denzel Washington spoke at a graduation and suggested that people put God first.