There’s no rivalry, but Denzel Washington took it personally when he lost his 2000 Academy Award to Kevin Spacey. The actor, known for his roles in The Little Things and the upcoming Gladiator 2, recently opened up about his career and life.
In an interview with Esquire, Washington shared how he had become “bitter” after losing the Best Actor award to the Billionaire Boys Club actor. 2000 was the year Washington was nominated for the fourth time having previously won an Academy Award for Glory in 1989. He was eager to win the award again.
However, the award went to Kevin Spacey, who was nominated for his performance in American Beauty. In the interview, Washington revealed that after Spacey’s name was announced, he turned back and saw that there was no one standing around him – the only people surrounding the Baby Driver actor were him.
Washington further said that it felt as if everyone was watching him. “Not that it was that way. Maybe that’s how I understood it. Maybe I felt like everyone was looking at me?” The Magnificent Seven added the actor.
Denzel Washington further said that after the incident he went back to his place and “drank alcohol that night.”
With the next Oscars coming soon, the actor said he has no interest in watching movies or even submitting his votes as an Academy member. However, his wife Pauletta continued to vote and participate in Academy duties.
Recalling a conversation between himself and Pauletta, Washington said that he straight up told his wife that he no longer cared about the Academy Awards, asking her if she cared about him when he lost.
The American Gangster actor asked his wife to vote, and said he had given up, “I became bitter. My pity party.”
Speaking to Variety, the actor said he had the same attitude for about “fifteen years”, from 1999 to 2014.
However, for those unaware, Denzel Washington later won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the 2001 police drama Training Day.
The Deja Vu actor stars in Flight, Fences and Roman J. Israel, Esq. as well as earning even more Oscar nominations in the same category for his appearance in The Tragedy of Macbeth.
Also read: Ridley Scott reacts to Denzel Washittong’s Gladiator 2 gay kiss scene that ‘never happened’
