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Sunita Rajwar and Shahana Goswami lead a sinewy crime drama as a cynical veteran and a wide-eyed rookie who has inherited her late husband’s job

Writer-director Sandhya Suri has made a tense, violent and politically savvy crime procedural set in India: a film about sexism, caste bigotry and Islamophobia that doubles as a study in the complex relationship between two female cops, a cynical veteran and a wide-eyed rookie. They are terrifically played by Sunita Rajwar and Shahana Goswami in what is almost a gender-switched Indian version of Training Day.

Suri is a film-maker who 20 years ago gave us a tremendous personal essay movie I for India, and this is her fiction-feature debut, which reportedly started as a documentary project inspired by public demonstrations about the gang-rape and murder of Jyoti Singh. It centres on the Indian convention of “compassionate appointment”: the dependent widow of a public official...

Denzel Washington fans get a treat to start next month as one of the Hollywood legend's greatest action films finds a new streaming home. The Oscar-winner's vigilante thriller, The Equalizer, draws a streaming premiere via Hulu.

Hulu recently confirmed that The Equalizer will debut via its platform on Apr. 1. The Washington-led pic became a streaming favorite last year following the success of The Equalizer 3. The original film landed on Paramount+ last year following a short but successful Netflix stint. The first movie, along with its two sequels, also became available for free via Tubi early this month.

The Equalizer marks Washington's first turn as its central protagonist, Robert McCall, a former U.S. Marine and Dia officer trying to live a quiet life away from the spotlight. However, McCall reluctantly returns to action to save a teenage trafficking victim named Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz) from the Russian mafia,...

Director David Ayer has had a fascinatingly uneven career. The man responsible for writing the standout "Training Day" is also responsible for directing the truly bizarre and critically-panned "Bright." That's not to mention 2016's "Suicide Squad," which was infamously sabotaged by studio meddling (though Ayer has taken the blame for Joker's stupid "damaged" tattoo). Ever since "Suicide Squad," the director has struggled to regain the prestige he'd built with his previous efforts. Though he saw box office success with "The Beekeeper" in 2024, Ayer's best movies are those that take his experience of growing up in disadvantaged neighborhoods of Los Angeles and inject them into taut action thrillers such as "Training Day" or Ayer's best directorial effort: "End of Watch."

The 2012 action thriller, which Ayer also wrote, is basically one-long gripping ride-along with two LAPD officers played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña. The pair are consistently and impressively believable as...

Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes’true love first blossomed poetically on screen. Gosling often defines his performances through understatement, from a vintage heartthrob in The Notebook to a brooding protector in what this author thinks is the best film ever, Drive, while still featuring in blockbusters like the pink phenomenon, Barbie. Mendes, now happily embracing the beauty of motherhood and entrepreneurship, also dedicated herself to acting, delving into roles like the complicated mistress of Denzel Washington's character in Training Day to a cynical gossip columnist in Hitch, showing she also had the range to tackle both dramatic and comedic contexts.

However, there’s a strong case that their finest work came when they shared the screen in the same movie: Derek Cianfrance's 2012 morality tale The Place Beyond the Pines.The ambitious, multi-generational film brought the couple together off-screen while testing the actors with roles that demanded intensity. In this atmospheric exploration of family,...

Denzel Washington is no stranger to collaborating with the industry's most prominent filmmakers, especially Spike Lee. However, while most know that both joined forces for the Oscar-nominated Malcom X, a relatively underrated title paired them in a thrilling heist film with an all-star supporting cast. Inside Man, released in 2006, received acclaim from critics and audiences flocked to the cinemas, earning it $186 million worldwide on a $45 million budget. Almost 20 years later, it has reclaimed its audience, this time in the streaming world.

Inside Man made it to Max's Top 10 most watched movies this week, according to Flix Patrol. The 2006 thriller is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 86% score from critics, while audiences are equally enamored, garnering an 85% Popcornmeter rating. Inside Man features Washington playing a detective who is caught in a high-octane hostage negotiation with an incredibly intelligent bank robber played by Clive Owen. However, not everything is as clear-cut as it appears,...

Widely considered to be not only one of the best crime and gangster movies of all time but one of the greatest pieces of American cinema ever made, Francis Ford Coppolla's adaptation of The Godfatherremains one of the most revered movies in the history of the medium. Nominated for ten Academy Awards and winning three, including one for Best Picture, the film tops many fans' lists as the best movie of all time.

With such a perfect movie in the crime and gangster film subgenre, it is hard for even the best contenders in the same category to measure up. But some gangster films are so good that they come close to being as good as The Godfather, reminding audiences why the tragic stories of organized crime and its affects on the world around it can be one of the most compelling subjects for a movie.

Killers of the Flower Moon...

Director and writer David Ayer made his mark in Hollywood with the screenplay for Training Day. Hailing from the tough streets of South Central Los Angeles, the filmmaker and former Navy officer infuses his projects with raw authenticity drawn from his experiences in films such as Street Kings, Harsh Times, End Of Watch. In this flashback clip from 2008, Ayer shares how he broke into the industry and why the old Hollywood adage still holds true—it’s who you know.

End of Watch was a gritty and realistic cop thriller that became a critical and box office hit when it was released in 2012. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Brian Taylor and Michael Peña as Mike Zavala, the film features the two LAPD partners as they work in South Central Los Angeles. Written and directed by David Ayer, the movie really shows the bond between the two young officers. It's now getting a second life on Max where it sits at number five in the top 10 and even climbed as high as the number two spot.

The movie follows Taylor and Peña as they perform their duties and things take a turn when a cartel targets them. Ayer grew up in South Central L.A. and has written several films about corrupt officers working at the LAPD. But for End of Watch, he wanted to showcase two honest and dedicated officers. Ahead of its 2012 release,...

One of Ridley Scott and Denzel Washington's most notable 2000s films lands another streaming home 18 years after its theatrical premiere. The duo's acclaimed yet polarizing crime drama, American Gangster, is now available on Amazon Prime Video.

Prime Video recently confirmed American Gangster as one of their latest additions, allowing fans to catch up with the Universal Pictures thriller. The film's Prime Video debut comes after Netflix launched the film via its platform in September 2024, while Peacock added the movie to its streaming lineup in February. American Gangster chronicles the life of notorious North Carolina gangster and drug trader Frank Lucas (Washington).

Related'Still Breaks My Heart': Antoine Fuqua Recalls Losing Acclaimed Denzel Washington Film to Ridley Scott

Training Day and The Equalizer franchise director Antoine Fuqua reveals how he lost out on another film collaboration with Denzel Washington.

The story examines Frank's rise up the ranks in the heroine trade...

Several years ago, Ethan Hawke said something interesting in an interview with Marc Maron. He admitted to having a lot of anxiety when he was cast in Training Day because he said that whenever he watched movies with Denzel Washington, he felt like his co-stars were blown out of the water by him. One exception that Hawke mentioned is Gene Hackman, who said the two played brilliantly off of each other in Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide, partly due to the fact that they were playing adversaries. Indeed, such was the power of Gene Hackman, who tragically passed away this week. While his career is loaded with classics, including The French Connection, The Conversation, The Royal Tenenbaums and so many more, one of his biggest box office hits was Crimson Tide, a movie that’s long overdue for a deep dive here on JoBlo!

When asked why he wanted to do Crimson Tide,...

If you thought predicting this year’s Academy Awards would be easy, the Screen Actors Guild Awards just proved otherwise. Voted on by more than 150,000 SAG-AFTRA members, the SAG Awards reaffirmed what has been true all season: Several major Oscar categories remain wide open with just one week to go before the ceremony.

Coming off a dominant showing at the BAFTA Awards, Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller “Conclave” took home the top prize for best cast ensemble. With victories at both the SAG and BAFTA Awards — two critical precursors — the Focus Features drama enters Oscar night in a strong position. This mirrors the trajectory of “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), which leveraged SAG and BAFTA only wins to upset presumed frontrunner “Saving Private Ryan” for best picture.

The biggest competition for “Conclave” still remains Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winning dramedy “Anora,” which surprisingly left the SAG Awards empty-handed. Star Mikey Madison,...

Timothée Chalamet had a mic-drop moment at the SAG Awards on Sunday, singing his way to a Best Actor win for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.

Chalamet, who was in second place in the Gold Derby odds, beat Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Daniel Craig (Queer), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave).

"I know the classiest thing would be to downplay the effort that went into this role and how much this means to me," Chalamet said during his acceptance speech. "The truth is that this was five-and-a-half years of my life. I poured everything that I had into playing this incomparable artist, Mr. Bob Dylan — a true American hero. It was the honor of a lifetime to play him."

After thanking his costars, Chalamet proudly proclaimed, "I know we're in a subjective business, but the truth is, I'm in pursuit of greatness. I know people don't usually talk like that,...

Quick LinksThe Vengeance-Filled Narrative of 'Man on Fire'Washington and Fanning Give Notable Performances in 'Man on Fire'The Split Between Critics and Audiences for 'Man on Fire'

Denzel Washington, a multi-talented Hollywood legend, has been dominating the world of acting, directing, and producing since his debut in the late 1970s. With an extensive filmography that highlights both action and drama movies, it is no surprise that the actor is beloved by critics and audiences alike. While Washington may be most recognized for his role as Robert McCall in the Equalizer films, his influence on the entertainment industry expands much further.

He has won various prestigious awards, including both Oscars and Golden Globes, for his roles in Glory and Training Day. He has also made an impact in theater, winning a Tony for his performance as Troy Maxson in Fences, a role he later reprised for the film adaptation.

The era of the aged action hero has given us the delights of Liam Neeson in the Taken franchise, Denzel Washington as The Equalizer, and Jeff Bridges in The Old Man, with genre fans wondering who will be next in demonstrating their particular set of skills in their twilight years. Well, next up is 86-year-old Daredevil star Scott Glenn, who will lead the upcoming Eugene the Marine. And the highly anticipated action horror movie has just received some exciting news.

Coming courtesy of Screen Daily, Eugene the Marine, which finds Glenn taking the lead as the titular former marine who must fight to stop his life unraveling after a series of murders start to happen around him, “Concourse Media has bulked up its EFM sales slate” with the action thriller, and has now been likened to some unexpected cinematic classics, including David Lynch’s haunting Mulholland Drive, Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear,...

Denzel Washington's turn as Macrinus was the most conspicuous Oscar nominee snub for Gladiator II. While its predecessor was an Academy favorite, the Ridley Scott-directed sequel got the short end of the stick at the 2025 Academy Awards.

But for Washington, the exclusion was no big deal. Speaking to the New York Times, the actor recalled how he felt when his name didn’t appear on the Oscar nominations list. Fortunately, performing as Othello on Broadway softened the blow. "I was sitting there smiling, going, 'Look at you. On the day you didn't get a nomination for an Oscar, you're working on Othello on Broadway.'" Washington went on to joke about how "upset" he was before explaining that there are no hard feelings.

Related15 Wild Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Gladiator (That Fans Never Knew)

Making the historical epic Gladiator was a difficult, and occasionally, downright dangerous process.

"I'm happy...

In hindsight, it's impossible to imagine anyone but Mark Harmon in the role of gruff "NCIS" boss Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It wasn't exactly a career-reigniting role for the actor, who had already built a legacy on shows like "St. Elsewhere" and "Chicago Hope" before joining the CBS military police procedural's inaugural 2003 season. However, it soon became apparent that Gibbs would be his defining role. Harmon embodied the character in a way that made him the unquestionable centerpiece of the ensemble cast throughout his 19 seasons with the show. He left "NCIS" in 2021, but Gibbs perseveres: In 2024, CBS rolled out the prequel show "NCIS: Origins," with Austin Stowell playing young Gibbs while Harmon narrates, "Young Sheldon"-style.

Knowing Harmon's importance to the "NCIS" franchise, it may be surprising to find out that the people behind the show didn't call his agent the second they conceived the character of Gibbs. In 2023, the makers...

2021's "The Little Things" is a fascinating little moment in cinematic history, not only because it debuted at the height of the global pandemic, but also because it was so close to being good that it almost doesn't make any sense that it wasn't. Writer/director John Lee Hancock produced a slick and stylish noir with an ending that at least tried to subvert some well-established tropes of the genre, leaving the central mystery unsolved. Denzel and his co-stars Rami Malek and Jared Leto all gave it their best, with Denzel in particular melding his undeniable charisma with a palpable sense of mournful regret. It should have been great, and yet it turned out sort of okay.

There's also the fact that this could have been the definitive Denzel crime thriller. Back in 1995, Washington almost played the role that eventually went to Brad Pitt in David Fincher's "Se7en," but...

Denzel Washington isn't upset at being snubbed for an Oscar for 'Gladiator II'.The 70-year-old star - who has won two Academy Awards from 10 nominations - was tipped to make the Best Supporting Actor shortlist for his performance as Macrinus in the blockbuster sequel, but was a notable omission.However, he insisted he doesn't care because he has "been around too long" to take it to heart and he's very content with his professional life.Asked if he cared about the snub, he told the New York Times newspaper: “I was sitting there smiling, going: Look at you. On the day you didn’t get a nomination for an Oscar, you’re working on Othello on Broadway. Are you kidding me?”He then joked: “Awww. Oh, I’m so upset.”He continued: “Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to...

Some may have been surprised by Denzel Washington’s exclusion from the best supporting actor race at the 2025 Academy Awards, but he’s not losing sleep over it. Amid a chaotic Oscar season, Washington spoke to the New York Times about his reaction to being snubbed by the Academy for his performance in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II.”

“Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset,” Washington joked. “I’m happy for all that did, and I’m happy with what I’m doing.”

“Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’ve got — I don’t wanna say other fish to fry, but there’s a reality at this age,” he continued. “The beginning of wisdom is understanding. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that’s exciting.”

Washington added that performing the role of “Othello” on Broadway is rewarding enough,...

He's considered one of the greatest actors of our time, yet even Denzel Washington has issues with some of his most rewatchable performances -- including one that earned him an Oscar. According to "The Book of Eli" writer Gary Whitta, Washington confessed that in the late 2000s, he felt somewhat annoyed by the final act of "Training Day," particularly the now-iconic speech in which he declared how very little s*** King Kong had on his character, Alonzo Harris.

During an appearance on "Kinda Funny Gamescast," Whitta recounted the surreal conversation of picking the best Denzel Washington films with Washington himself. While Whitta's top choice was "Man on Fire", "The Book of Eli" directors, the Hughes Brothers, who were also present, ranked "Training Day" at the top of their list. As Whitta recounted it:

"And Denzel started thinking, 'Yeah, it was a good one,' but he said, 'The only thing about that is,...

Ladies and gentlemen, it's rumor time! And this is a big one, so buckle up, Marvel fans, because this could be huge. Though, for now, we have to caution that the word "could" is doing a whole lot of work for the time being. It looks like Oscar-winner Denzel Washington might potentially join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What's more, he may help get the long-awaited "X-Men" reboot off the ground by taking on a key role as one of the most powerful mutants around.

According to Jeff Sneider on "The Hot Mic" podcast, Washington is potentially going to play Magneto in the forthcoming "X-Men" reboot, which is in development as we speak. While Sneider didn't outright say that name, the journalist said it's "totally possible that [Washington] could be playing an X-Men character," before asking listeners to "do the leap." Sneider then said he "definitely thinks Denzel could be the villain of X-Men.

Is there any role that Denzel Washington can’t play? For the longest time, Marvel fans have been fan-casting the Training Day actor in different roles in the MCU. First, it was the X-Men’s Magneto. Then it was Norman Osborn. But it seems like the Oscar-winning legend has his eyes fixed on a character who fits […]

MCU Producer Teases Denzel Washington’s Role in Black Panther 3 Written by Jarrod Saunders for Fortress of Solitude...

The highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, might not make its initial 2025 release date, according to some reports.

Michael Jackson was one of the biggest musical artists of all time, earning the nickname 'The King of Pop'; his death on June 26, 2009, was a major moment in pop culture. The idea of a Michael Jackson biopic had circulated for years but gained traction in 2019 when Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King secured the life rights. So far, the movie has assembled an impressive creative team including Training Day director Antoine Fuqua, The Aviator screenwriter John Logan, and a cast that includes Nia Long, Coleman Domingo, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, and Michael Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson stepping into the role of his late uncle.

The site Film Stories noticed that Michael had been removed from its Oct. 3, 2025 release date on Box Office Mojo. This would mark the second delay to the film, as...

Robert De Niro won his second Oscar in 1981 for playing a boxing champ in Raging Bull. And now he has been chosen as the acting champ when it comes to Academy Awards.

His performance for the Martin Scorsese film from 1980 has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Actor winner ever, according to a Gold Derby ballot cast by 21 of our film experts, critics, and editors, who ranked all 97 male leading actors.

Anthony Hopkins finished second for The Silence of the Lambs (1991), with Marlon Brando following in third for The Godfather (1972). Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007), and Gregory Peck for To Kill a Mockingbird (1961) rounded out the top five.

At the bottom of the list of the Best Actor winners is Warner Baxter for In Old Arizona (1928). George Arliss in Disraeli (1929), Lionel Barrymore for A Free Soul (1930), Paul Lukas for Watch on the Rhine (1942), and Paul Muni for The Story of Louis Pasteur...

Robert De Niro won his second Oscar in 1981 for playing a boxing champ in Raging Bull. And now he has been chosen as the champ of all actors.

His performance for the Martin Scorsese film from 1980 has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Actor winner ever, according to a Gold Derby ballot cast by 21 of our film experts, critics, and editors, who ranked all 97 male leading actors.

Anthony Hopkins ranked second for The Silence of the Lambs (1991), with Marlon Brando following in third for The Godfather (1972). Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007), and Gregory Peck for To Kill a Mockingbird (1961) rounded out the top five.

At the bottom of the list of the Best Actor winners is Warner Baxter for In Old Arizona (1928). Just above that film performance in the rankings are George Arliss in Disraeli (1929), Lionel Barrymore for A Free Soul (1930), Paul Lukas for Watch on the Rhine...

Ethan Hawke is giving a classic Western the remake treatment. The Moon Knight actor is reportedly on board to help develop an all-new take on the 20th Century Studios movie The Gunfighter.

Per Deadlline, Hawke has signed on to co-write the script for a new take on The Gunfighter, a 75-year-old Western with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, for 20th Century Studios. His writing partner, Shelby Gaines, will be alongside him as a co-writer. There is said to be hope at the studio that Hawke will also direct the remake, but the current deal that is in place is for the actor to serve as a writer and producer. It's also not known if Hawke will appear in the film, which is in its very early development stages.

RelatedThe 12 Best Clint Eastwood Westerns, Ranked

Clint Eastwood is a name that is synonymous with the Western genre and movies like A Few Dollars More...

'Black Panther' producer Nate Moore has rubbished speculation that the character of T'Challa could be recast in the third movie.Reports emerged last month that Marvel Studios were searching for a new actor for the role that was initially played by the late Chadwick Boseman but these have been dismissed by Moore.The Marvel producer told ComicBook: "The truth is, there's no truth to those rumours."Never say never to anything, we haven't really had a lot of creative conversations with (director) Ryan Coogler yet, because he's finishing his film 'Sinners', which comes out this year."We'll get into it later this year, but everything you read online is not true, if for no other reason than we just haven't started (working on it)."It was claimed by Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider that the studio was contemplating recasting T'Challa now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is exploring the multi-verse.

After his manipulative villain role in Gladiator II, Denzel Washington created peak excitement among fans when he revealed his role in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther 3. He shared that it will be one of his last few roles before retiring from acting altogether. Kevin Feige later officially announced Black Panther 3 but Washington’s role is tightly kept under wraps.

Denzel Washington in a still from Gladiator II | Credits: Paramount Pictures

It didn’t stop social media fans from speculating about his role. Interestingly, rumor has it that Washington will get his hands on another disruptive role like Macrinus in Coogler’s film. The Training Day actor might be playing the comic book character Achebe from the Black Panther comics.

Denzel Washinton might play the devious villain Achebe opposite Letitia Wright Denzel Washington in a still from Training Day | Credits: Warner Bros.

Ryan Coogler‘s third Black Panther film was a well-kept secret at Marvel Studios.

If you’re looking to crank up the heat on these chilly February nights,head to Tubi as they've got some more classic freebies, including the Oscar-winning crime thriller that redefined Denzel Washington’s career, Training Day. Released in 2001, Training Day was written by David Ayer and directed by Antoine Fuqua, and it marked the start of a dynamic duo that would go on to deliver multiple bangers. But nothing hits quite like Training Day, the film that snagged Washington his second Academy Award, this time for Best Actor.

During his initial years in Hollywood, Denzel Washington made a name for himself by starring in several revered biopics, including Malcolm X, Cry Freedom, and The Hurricane. But at the turn of the 21st century, the actor was adamant about shifting from playing goody-two-shoes characters, starting with Training Day.

Malcolm X | Credit: 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

Although it proved to be a major turning point for his career, the drastic shift didn’t initially sit well with the NAACP, which has been celebrating the Oscar winner for decades.

NAACP was initially against Denzel Washington’s Training Day stint Training Day | Credit: Warner Bros.

After years of playing heroic gigs, 2001’s Training Day, which earned Washington his second Academy win, proved to be a revelation, as this kickstarted his descent into more villainous figures onscreen. Even though The Equalizer star was enticed by the prospect of leaning toward more morally troubled characters,...

Fans know him from Man on Fire, The Equalizer film series, Training Day, and last year's phenomenal Ridley Scott historical epic Gladiator II Denzel Washington is his name, and creating epic films is his game. The Oscar award winner and box office record holder is known for his incredibly strong presence on screen, sometimes referred to as the "Denzel effect"—he not only plays his roles well but also encapsulates the very essence of his characters.

This icon of the last half-century of television has played so many memorable roles that fans could spend an entire day simply listing his IMDb page. While Washington has noted that he’s missed out on some remarkable opportunities, he’s also played major roles, such as Malcolm X in the movie of the same name, soon to be coming to Max. It starts streaming on Max on Feb. 1.

Related Today's an Amazing Day...

When Denzel Washington committed to starring in "Training Day," it must have been a vertiginous moment for the actor. But it's not because the movie itself was a risk, or that he was concerned about his ability to play his role. Rather, this 2011 crime thriller marked the first time Washington played a bad guy -- a fact that made his casting in "Training Day" surprisingly controversial. Having become a megastar, winning an Oscar, and earning the respect of audiences and his peers, Denzel suddenly found himself faced with a significant task: proving naysayers wrong by effectively portraying an on-screen villain after two decades of playing the good guy.

Luckily, the ever-capable star proved he was more than up to the task. His performance as corrupt LAPD detective Alonzo Harris is one of the greatest performances of his career and secured Washington a second Oscar win as a result. That by itself would be impressive,...

Arguably no pop star in living memory can rival Michael Jackson in terms of popularity, influence, or controversy -- and the filmmakers behind the upcoming musical biopic "Michael" are learning the harshest lesson imaginable about that last part. Helmed by the action director best known for "Training Day" and the "Equalizer" trilogy, Antoine Fuqua, and written by veteran scribe John Logan, the drama has spared no expense on star power in an attempt to capture the same lightning bolt that turned "Bohemian Rhapsody" into a runaway hit back in 2018. In addition to Miles Teller, the cast includes newly-minted Best Actor Oscar nominee Colman Domingo, Laura Harrier, and even Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson in his feature film debut as the King of Pop. The Jackson biopic has been in the works since at least 2019 and, with filming completed, the creative team was in the midst of post production when, speaking of "Bohemian Rhapsody,...

Ever since Oscar season became a year-round affair catering both to industry professionals and movie buffs all over the world, there has been a tendency to pencil in certain contenders sight-unseen based on their previous awards success or showbiz prominence. If Steven Spielberg has a new film on the way, it's immediately a prohibitive favorite for at least a nomination. Meryl Streep in a drama about something timely or socially important? That's one Best Actress nod most likely spoken for.

It's always a mistake to think this way. This is something I learned in 2007, when, as a participant in an Oscar prognosticating poll, I predicted Academy Award nominations across the board for "Charlie Wilson's War." How could I not? A drama about the United States' involvement in Afghanistan directed by Mike Nichols (winner for "The Graduate") and starring Tom Hanks (winner for "Philadelphia" and "Forrest Gump"), Julia Roberts (winner for...

Denzel Washington is directly proportional to pure Hollywood royalty. If you need to give an example of living legends, there is no way you are allowed to leave the man’s name out of the list. Whether it is Malcolm X or Training Day, Giving Voice, or Devil in a Blue Dress, Denzel Washington has proven time and time again that he stepped into the industry to conquer. And now, his two sons are following in his footsteps.

Denzel Washington in a still from Malcolm X (1992) | Credits: 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks

Denzel Washington has 2 sons – John David Washington and Malcolm Washington. Growing up with him as a father, it was inevitable that the two would develop a deep understanding and appreciation for cinema. As they make their name in the industry, let’s take a look at five films the two of them have done that are a must-watch!

The very first shot of Training Day is of the enormous rising morning sun welcoming in a new day. You can't help but feel that director Antoine Fuqua and longtime collaborator Denzel Washington were already symbolizing the larger-than-life Los Angeles narcotics detective Alonzo Harris in what would be the actor's first Best Actor Academy Award-winning performance. Alonzo is the sun, and everyone else in the movie is just smaller planets and moons revolving around the enormous star at the center of it all. Washington absolutely owns the screen and every scene he's in, and you better keep up, or you're going to get run over by the Washington locomotive. His turn as a corrupt cop who plays by his own set of rules is the performer at his very best. There are several reasons why the Oscar winner we normally love as the "good guy" in other Fuqua movies, like...

David Ayer fans are currently looking forward to his Beekeeper reunion with Jason Statham on A Working Man. However, a new audience is currently discovering the director’s panned 2014 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his more forgotten movies. Sabotage is at the top of the streaming chart on Starz, the latest in a long line of mostly forgotten action movies that have found new life on streaming.

Ayer made his name with gritty action movies like Training Day, but also dipped his toes in something more fantastical with 2016’s Suicide Squad, and last year found huge success with The Beekeeper, both in cinemas and on Prime Video. Sabotage was not a success by any stretch of the imagination when it was released, landing just a 21% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and ending its theatrical run on $22 million, which was substantially below its $35 million budget.

In the movie,...

Denzel Washington not getting an Oscar nomination for Gladiator II would repeat history, as he also didn't receive a nomination for Ridley Scott's 2007 film American Gangster. Washington is one of the most celebrated actors of all time. Denzel Washington's best movies include Malcolm X, Training Day, Fences, and The Tragedy of Macbeth, all of which earned him nominations for an Academy Award. Washington's most recent performance was in Gladiator II, the long-awaited sequel to Scott's 2000 movie. Washington joining the cast of Gladiator II made perfect sense, as he and Scott had worked together on American Gangster.

In Gladiator II, Washington plays Macrinus, an arms dealer and gladiator owner who is an extremely influential figure in Rome. Throughout the movie, Macrinus manipulates Emperors Geta and Caracalla, and eventually takes control of Rome himself. By the end of Gladiator II, Washington's Macrinus emerges as the true villain of the film. Washington...

In his feature debut, Belgian filmmaker Michiel Blanchart takes a simple and familiar action film set-up and gives it his own spin by adding pertinent social commentary. In “Night Call,” Mady (Jonathan Feltre), a young locksmith, has quite the violent and eventful evening in Brussels. He tangles with nefarious characters, makes affecting friendships and runs against the clock to save himself. Blanchart proves himself adept at giving all his ensemble various shading, shifting the audience’s allegiances and making his film much more than the usual brutal actioner.

Mady is called upon by Claire (Natacha Krief), a mysterious but affable woman, to open her apartment after losing her keys. After she flirts with him, he allows her to trick him and runs away stealing a big plastic bag. Suddenly he’s alone in a stranger’s apartment looking like a burglar. The bag has lots of money in it, the...

A legendary actor like Denzel Washington is worthy of all the praise he deserves. Along with his skills, his accolades prove the same. However, despite having nine Academy Award nominations and two Oscar wins, he has yet to receive a single BAFTA Award nomination.

Denzel Washington in a still from Gladiator II | Credits: Paramount Pictures

The pattern continued recently when Washington’s role in Gladiator II was not acknowledged by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in their latest nominations. This exclusion from the 2025 BAFTA Awards shortlist has sparked conversations about the possible reasons behind Washington being snubbed from the British award.

Denzel Washington’s career is a legacy of bold performances Denzel Washington as Detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Since the start, Denzel Washington’s performances have been a masterclass for the audience. He has earned his place among Hollywood’s elite.

The Best Supporting Actor category will see fierce competition this year at the 97th Academy Awards. Forget voting for a winner, the Academy will be scratching their heads to come up with the five nominees. Before the announcement of final nominees, FandomWire predicts the top 5 contenders and another 4 actors who could become Robert Downey Jr.’s successor.

Kieran Culkin with Jesse Eisenberg in a still from A Real Pain | Credits: Searchlight Pictures

Interestingly, our top five for the nominees have never won an Oscar, despite one of them receiving three nominations including two Best Supporting Actor nods. However, three of these contenders have Emmys to their names to show for. And the other nominee is making waves this award season, with nominations at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and BAFTAs.

FandomWire’s predicted nominees for Best Supporting Actor Edward Norton as Pete Seeger in A Complete Unknown | Credits: Searchlight Pictures...

Se7en's ensemble would have been led by other A-list Hollywood actors. Director David Fincher said the dark script repelled most candidates including Denzel Washington, who was an early frontrunner.

Director David Fincher said A-list Hollywood actors were tapped to lead the film's ensemble; most thought the script was deplorable. "Almost everybody that I sent it to originally also passed," he told The Independent. "I sent it to Ned Beatty to play John Doe, and he wouldn't even consider it. Almost everyone thought that the film was far too ghoulish to deal with." Val Kilmer was also a candidate but declined, and R. Lee Ermey, who played Full Metal Jacket's iconic villain, was passed over. Denzel Washington was also heavily courted to play David Mills but repeatedly rejected the offer.

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30 years after the premiere of Se7en,...

Famous actor Denzel Washington has not received a BAFTA nomination again, this time for his performance in Gladiator II. The British film academy revealed its shortlist on Wednesday, continuing Washington’s 45-year absence without any awards from Britain’s top film prizes.

Washington, 70, plays Macrinus, a former slave who plans to take over Rome in Ridley Scott’s historical movie. He was on the first top-ten list but didn’t make it to the final six choices. Instead, actors Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”) and Guy Pearce (“The Brutalist”) were recognized for their supporting parts.

It’s noticeable that something is missing because of Washington’s great success. He has received nine Oscar nominations and won two, along with over 270 awards, in his 40 years of playing. The British Academy still ignores his acts, even the ones that have won important awards elsewhere.

This pattern features some of his most admired parts.

Another year, another BAFTA snub for Denzel Washington.

The two-time Oscar winner has never been nominated by the British Academy and was snubbed again on Wednesday, missing out on a nomination in Best Supporting Actor for Gladiator II. The nominees were Yura Borisov (Anora), Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing), Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), and Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice).

Washington’s shutout at BAFTA has been one of the most curious and high-profile slights in the group’s history. Over his nearly 50-year career, the actor has accrued nine acting Oscar nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for 1989’s Glory and Best Actor for 2001’s Training Day, the latter of which made him the second Black man to prevail in lead. His first Oscar bid was for his supporting turn in Cry Freedom (1987), and his other nominations were in lead for Malcolm X...

As Shakespeare wrote, “Life is but a walking shadow,” and Denzel Washington is the poor player who continues to be heard no more, at least in the eyes of BAFTA.

With over 65 film credits, nine Academy Award nominations (including two wins) and more than 270 accolades across a 45-year career, Denzel Washington is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Yet, despite his towering legacy, Washington remains an undeniable blind spot for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

This year is no exception. On Wednesday, the BAFTA nominations were unveiled, and Washington, 70, was conspicuously absent yet again, snubbed for his villainous role in Ridley Scott’s epic “Gladiator II.” Playing Macrinus, a former slave who schemes to control Rome, Washington’s performance has been hailed by critics as a chilling and layered turn worthy of awards recognition.

Though Washington made BAFTA’s initial longlist...

Earning a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes is a feat few filmmakers have achieved. Indeed, many of the most acclaimed films of all time have nevertheless failed to impress at least one certified critic on the website. Therefore, in the rare event that a film does earn a perfect score, it is worth exploring how it managed to win over every critic on Rotten Tomatoes that saw it. One such film is Santosh (2024), a new thriller directed by Sandhya Suri. The film, which centers on a widowed woman who takes her late husband's place on the local police force, is the U.K.'s submission for Best International Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards. So far, all 39 critics on Rotten Tomatoes are pretty much unanimous in their praise of both the film's technical elements and its uncompromising themes of sexism, police corruption, and caste discrimination in India.

'Santosh' Is...

It has been over two decades since Denzel Washington screamed ‘King Kong ain’t got sh*t on me’ in the legendary Training Day. The Antoine Fuqua directorial got Washington his second Oscar after he had previously won for Glory. The film was also a commercial success and the legendary combo was set to reunite for an epic gangster film again.

Alas, the workings of Hollywood do not always make way for dreams and Fuqua had to give up his dream of crafting his incredible gangster film with Washington again. The filmmaker mentioned how heartbroken he was after his version of American Gangster was shelved. The film ended up being made by Ridley Scott with Washington in the lead.

Antoine Fuqua lamented about his shelved version of American Gangster with Denzel Washington Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in Training Day | Credits: Warner Bros.

Antoine Fuqua broke into the scene by directing music videos for Prince,...

When Denzel Washington agreed to star in 2001's "Training Day," his casting attracted some controversy. The issue, it seems, was that the esteemed actor had never played a villain at that time, and the NAACP was adamant that he not squander the good will he'd accumulated over the past decade or so by doing so. For Denzel, however, showcasing his diverse talent overrode any obligation to maintain his clean cut public image, and the star not only proved he was more than capable of playing an antagonist, but won his second Oscar for the effort. All of which makes one wonder about a parallel universe version of Denzel's career — one in which he agreed to play a lead role in David Fincher's "Se7en" back in 1995.

Would the NAACP have objected to Washington starring in what Brad Pitt told the LA Times was "the feel-bad movie of '95"? Fincher's...

Denzel Washington has been one of the most successful Hollywood actors for nearly five decades. From the iconic Malcolm X to Training Day, Antwone Fisher to Fences, this incredibly versatile actor knows how to avoid being pigeonholed by certain character types. Washington thrives on challenges and frequently returns to the theater to keep his acting muscles as active as possible. In February, Washington will take on the title role in Othello in Shakespeare's classical play, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway.

But despite all his deliberate choices, there is one movie he regrets declining. Years ago, Denzel had a casual interview with Jamie Foxx on YouTube for Grey Goose Vodka, and the comedian asked the legend if there were any project he wished he would have done. Washington took only a few seconds to reply with: Se7en. Washington explained that when he read...

One of Denzel Washington's movies that is streaming on Disney+ was also one of the best sports movies ever, and the film to finish out his three-year trend. Since he started acting in feature films in 1977, Denzel Washington has cemented himself as one of the best actors of all time. The list of Denzel Washington's best movies is filled with all-time classics like Glory, Malcolm X, and Training Day. While he's mostly known for giving extremely intense and powerful performances in R-rated and mature films, Washington also has more than enough experience in lighter movies for audiences of all ages.

One of the many notable aspects of Denzel Washington's acting career is how varied his filmography is. Washington has done everything from historical biopics to war movies to action thrillers and comedies. For as many genres as Washington has branched out into, he's also dominated in each of them.