Hollywood icon Denzel Washington has hinted at retiring from the big screen after a remarkable career spanning nearly five decades. In an interview with Empire magazine, the 69-year-old actor suggested that his time in movies may be drawing to a close, saying there are “very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in.”
Washington recently completed filming for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, where he portrays Macrinus, a wealthy arms dealer. He praised Scott as an inspiration, citing the director’s passion and creativity at age 86. The pair last collaborated on the 2007 film American Gangster.
Throughout his career, Washington has delivered critically acclaimed performances in films like The Equalizer trilogy, Man on Fire, and Training Day, for which he won an Oscar. Named the greatest actor of the 21st century by The New York Times in 2020, Washington’s impact on cinema is undeniable.
Despite talks of retirement, Washington remains active. He just finished shooting High and Low, a Spike Lee-directed police procedural drama, and is set to return to Broadway in 2025 alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in a revival of Shakespeare’s Othello.
Off-screen, Washington has been married to his wife Pauletta since 1983, and they have four adult children.
