For all of the opportunities that Denzel Washington has had as an actor, the man hasn’t ever done a rom-com in his career. As the 2024 movie schedule sees the performing legend drawing even more excitement for his role in Gladiator II, a earlier interview that addressed the subject has resurfaced. And as you’d expect, Washington’s trademark wit and candor saw him give an answer that’s as real as the world’s opinions on the best rom-com movies.
The podcast 60 Minutes: A Second Look pulled quotes from previously unreleased footage from an interview between Washington and the late Ed Bradley, dating back to 2000. At that point, the legendary journalist and his Academy Award-winning subject came to the realization that out of the then-25 movies the Gladiator II star had made, none were rom-coms. And when asked for a reason why, Denzel Washington offered this hypothesis:
Well, I think that, again, it comes down to business. I think that if it was a love story with myself and a Black woman, it's not big business in Hollywood … maybe they're not interested.
To be fair, later on in that same interview, The Equalizer franchise lead also noted that he kind of didn’t need to have a rom-com on his resume. The fact didn’t bother him back in 2000, so I’m willing to believe that with all of the iconic Denzel Washington movies he has to fall back on, Mr. Washington is still not terribly torn up about it.
Although I find it hard to believe that studios would shy away from a potential Denzel Washington rom-com in the current climate. Box office hits like Anyone But You and streaming crazes like Netflix’s surprisingly deep Hot Frosty are just two examples of how that once seemingly dormant genre has roared back to life. So there has to be someone out there who’s read/listened to this interview, and has come up with a concept that they want to pitch the St. Elsewhere alum, right?
But would Denzel Washington star in a rom-com in this day and age? I can’t say for sure, but I will say that it wouldn’t surprise me if he accepted it. Lest we forget that Washington’s Black Panther 3 gig has seen him supposedly changing his mind on being “beyond the tights years.” It may not have bothered him to not have a rom-com under his belt, but at the same time someone could have proposed the right idea, only to be met by that signature smile and laugh.
A Denzel Washington rom-com would be a welcomed break from tradition for the icon and his talents. But as it currently stands, you can see him totally owning Gladiator II, which is still showing in theaters. And if for some reason you haven’t caught The Equalizer 3, you can stream that action sequel the same way that most people would get their romance fiction fixes: through access to a Netflix subscription.