Denzel Washington Quotes

“If you take the time and put in the effort to write your own material and absolutely refuse to be denied the right to make your film it is difficult whatever colour you are.”

“Some said America took a step forward electing a black president. In light of the unconstitutiona l expansion of powers, lack of transparency and fueling the fires of unrest that clearly hasn't been the case. Vote based on merits, not to fill a racial quota.”

“People tend to relax when they're off camera. That's when they should be working the hardest.”

“Fall forward. Here's what I mean: Reggie Jackson struck out 2,600 times in his career - the most in the history of baseball. But you don't hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs. Fall forward. Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Did you know that? I didn't either - because number 1,001 was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.”

“Viola [Davis] is one of the great actors of her generation. She has one of these moments in the theater that I don't even know how to describe.”

“One good thing about acting in film is that it's good therapy.”

“We just had to stay out-of-the-way [in Fences]. [August Wilson] already wrote a masterpiece. And you really don't know how it's going to work until you get it in front of an audience.”

“Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.”

“We'll all retire from life at some point. The great thing about acting is you don't necessarily have to retire.”

“Success? I don't know what that word means. I'm happy. But success, that goes back to what in somebody's eyes success means. For me, success is inner peace. That's a good day for me.”

“Goals on the road to achievement cannot be achieved without discipline and consistency.”

“Acting, it's not my life, my children and my family, that's life. I'll get up every morning, God willing, for that.”

“When you make a movie it's always interesting, because you end up in places you never would as a normal visitor or tourist.”

“I just try to be honest and true to the character and play the part.”

“So you never know who you touch. You never know how or when you'll have an impact, or how important your example can be to someone else" (20).”

“The strongest, toughest men all have compassion. They're not heartless and cold. You have to be man enough to have compassion - to care about people and about your children" (217) - John Singleton "Oh Man, I've Become My Father”

“I don't concern myself with award. I'd been to the party enough times to know it really didn't matter.”

“I always say the time to worry about flying is when you're on the ground. If you don't trust the captain, don't go.”

“I'm not a film buff. I don't watch a lot of movies.”

“I've always seen it to be a privilege to make movies. It's a really expensive, creative medium.”

“I work hard for the audience. It's entertainment. I don't need validation.”

“I remember my mother and father arguing about light bulbs because my father thought he could save money by putting 25-watt bulbs instead of 60-watt bulbs and my mother was trying to explain to him that her children needed to learn to read so that they could go to college. He couldn't see that.”

“It's simple: You get a part. You play a part. You play it well. You do your work and you go home. And what is wonderful about movies is that once they're done, they belong to the people. Once you make it, it's what they see. That's where my head is at.”

“We had a guy, a gentlemen by the name of Mr. Greenleaf who lived behind the house we were shooting [Fences], and he was like a part of the movie.He would come downstairs, and he couldn't hear well to say, "Ya'll want some coffee?"”

“At the end of the day, it's not about what you have or even what you've accomplished. It's about what you've done with those accomplishments. Its about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. It about what you've given back" (23).”