Denzel Washington does not care the Oscars snubbed him for 'Gladiator 2': "I've been around too long"
The 97th Academy Awards will be held in LA on March 2
Denzel Washington has said he does not care about being snubbed by the Oscars for Best Supporting Actor for Gladiator 2.
The star, who previously won Best Actor for his role in the 2001 crime drama Training Day and Supporting Actor for the 1989 war film Glory, portrayed the character Macrinus in the sequel to the 2000 blockbuster.
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He lost out to a host of actors who were nominated ahead of the forthcoming 97th Academy Awards ceremony in LA on Sunday, March 2, including Kieran Culkin, Edward Norton, Guy Pearce, Jeremy Strong and Yura Borisov.
When asked about the snub in an interview with The New York Times, Washington joked: âAre you kidding me? Awww. Iâm happy for all that did, and Iâm happy with what Iâm doing.â
Denzel Washington in âGladiator 2â. CREDIT: Paramount Pictures
He continued: âListen, Iâve been around too long. Iâve got â I donât wanna say other fish to fry, but thereâs a reality at this age. The beginning of wisdom is understanding. Iâm getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more â and thatâs exciting.âWashington went on to say that performing the role of Othello on Broadway was rewarding enough.
âI was sitting there smiling going: âLook at you. On the day you didnât get a nomination for an Oscar, youâre working on Othello on Broadway,ââ he added.
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Elsewhere, Washington was recently baptised and received a ministerâs licence just days before his 70th birthday.
He also recently revealed that Black Panther 3 is in development, with an unspecified role being set aside for Washington himself. Washington will also star in Spike Leeâs upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest, alongside A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice.
Reviewing Gladiator 2, NME awarded the film three stars and said: âIf you loved Gladiator, itâs odds-on youâll enjoy this too. Itâs got all of the same exciting bits â swordfighting, rousing speeches, nasty poshos getting what they deserve.
âThe problem is thatâs all it gives you. You want to feel like youâre watching Maximus lift off his helmet and deliver that iconic monologue for the first time again. You want the thrill of a core memory being unlocked. You want to know youâll be quoting Mescalâs lines to your mates in the pub for the next 10 years. Gladiator 2, piously respectful as it is, can only offer a faded memory of that experience. There was a dream that was Rome â and this is kind of it.â