Denzel Washington isn’t worried about being canceled. In fact, he practically laughs at the idea. The two-time Oscar winner, known for roles in Glory and Training Day, recently shared his thoughts on cancel culture during a video interview with Complex News alongside director Spike Lee, his longtime collaborator.
When asked if he was concerned about being “canceled,” Washington tilted the question back on the interviewer: “What does that mean — to be canceled?” Jillian Hardeman-Webb explained, “It means you lose public support.” Washington’s response was simple: “Who cares?” But he didn’t stop there.
“What made public support so important to begin with?” he asked.
Hardeman-Webb pointed out that followers now are currency. Washington shook off the idea like it was nothing. “I don’t care who’s following who,” he said. “You can’t lead and follow at the same time, and you can’t follow and lead at the same time. I don’t follow anybody. I follow the heavenly spirit. I follow God, I don’t follow man. I have faith in God. I have hope in man, but look around, it ain’t working out so well.”
And here’s his stance on cancel culture: “You can’t be canceled if you haven’t signed up. Don’t sign up. Don’t get me started. My chest started hurting. You know, chest is getting tight talking about it.” It’s classic Denzel. He was calm, unapologetic, and a little dramatic, in a way that makes you pay attention.
This isn’t the first time he’s shrugged off awards and public validation. Just days before, on Jake’s Takes, Washington admitted he’s not chasing Oscars. “I don’t care about that kind of stuff,” he said. “I’ve been at this a long time, and there’s time when I won and shouldn’t have won and then didn’t win and should’ve won. Man gives the award. God gives the reward.” He even casually mentioned where he keeps his Oscars: “Next to the other one. I’m not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, [Oscars] aren’t going to do me a bit of good.”
At 70, Denzel Washington has earned a perspective most actors spend decades chasing. His latest project with Spike Lee, Highest 2 Lowest, marks their fifth collaboration and their first in nearly 20 years. The A24 and Apple film is a reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, with Washington playing a music mogul caught in a ransom plot. According to Lee, this likely won’t be their last collaboration.
Washington’s approach is simple. He doesn’t chase public validation, followers, or awards. He focuses on his craft and his faith. When you think about it, his answer to cancel culture is both practical and actionable: don’t sign up for it. Focus on what matters. Do your work. Follow your principles.
For Washington, life and career aren’t about popularity metrics or Instagram clout. They’re about the work, the faith, and a quiet confidence that comes from decades of experience. You can argue with cancel culture, debate followers, or stress over awards, but Denzel Washington shows there’s another way: measure your worth by your standards, not by the crowd.
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