Denzel Washington, the acclaimed actor known for his compelling performances, is focusing on shaping the final phase of his career with careful choices. At 70 years old, he is starring in Spike Lee’s latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, which recently premiered in New York. Recognizing the limited time he has left in acting, Washington is thoughtfully selecting projects and collaborators, mindful that his final career act will define his legacy.
With ten Oscar nominations and two wins—one for 1989’s Glory and another for 2002’s Training Day—Washington remains a highly sought-after figure in Hollywood, demonstrating renewed energy and focus in his recent work.
Choosing Collaborators for a Meaningful Farewell
Washington revealed in a Zoom interview that approaching his 70th birthday prompted him to reflect on the direction of his career.
I will say that as I approached my 70th birthday, between the 65th and 70th birthdays, and understanding and starting to feel like there is some end to this, [I asked myself] ‘Who would I like to work with before I finish?’
he said.
It’s just where I was at in life, where I am in life, where I was then in life…who do I want to work with?
this reflection guided his selection of upcoming collaborators.
Known for portraying iconic figures such as Steve Biko, Malcolm X, and a fictional lawyer fighting for an AIDS victim in Philadelphia, Washington is planning to work with top filmmakers to shape his swan song. He is preparing projects with directors Fernando Meirelles and Ryan Coogler, and has discussed potential work with Steve McQueen.
I’m about to work with Fernando Meirelles and I’m about to work with Ryan Coogler,
Washington shared.
And we haven’t found the right thing yet, but I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen.
His upcoming project with Meirelles is a heist thriller titled Here Come the Flood. Additionally, Washington is expected to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe under Coogler’s direction in Black Panther 3, a role he has kept partly under wraps, apologizing to Coogler for prematurely revealing the involvement.
Exploring New Ground with Spike Lee in Highest 2 Lowest
Washington currently stars in Highest 2 Lowest, marking his fifth collaboration with Spike Lee. The film reimagines the 1963 thriller High and Low by Akira Kurosawa, adjusting the story to a contemporary New York setting. Washington plays David King, the head of Stackin’ Hits Records, who faces a crisis when he learns his son has been kidnapped just as he is about to close a major business deal.
The abduction plot thickens as it turns out the kidnapper took the wrong boy—the son of King’s longtime friend Paul, portrayed by Jeffrey Wright. King must decide whether to pay the ransom or risk the boy’s life. Interestingly, the project originated with Washington himself before it reached Lee.
The material came to me before it came to Spike,
Washington explained.
And I said, ‘No question. I gotta call my boy. Bang.’ And here we are.
Washington highlighted a key departure from the original story, noting that the kidnapped child in this adaptation is a teenager rather than a young boy.
Ours is a different set of circumstances the way the story is written. But I think it hit on something interesting by talking about the boy being older because he’s at the cusp of manhood, when all those dangers are there, and he can see and understand what his father is and isn’t doing. And we get to see the world through the eyes of our young people today. So I think that was a wise decision, which makes for more fertile drama.
Longstanding Creative Partnership Between Washington and Lee
The bond between Washington and Spike Lee spans over three decades, beginning with 1990’s Mo’ Better Blues. Their collaborations also include the powerful 1992 activist biopic Malcolm X, the basketball-themed drama He Got Game in 1998, and the bank heist thriller Inside Man in 2006. Washington reflected on how their relationship has evolved with age.
I don’t analyse like that. I don’t think of other people like that, or how much they’ve changed. I don’t know.
He added with a touch of humor,
Well, we have gotten older. Our knees hurt more!
Washington praised Lee’s unique awareness and dedication during filming.
Spike was the first director I worked with that would make a documentary in the middle of making a film, in the middle of making a documentary, in the middle of making a film. So you’d be shooting Mo’ Better… while he’s shooting Robin Harris doing stand-up. He’s in the movie, but he’s also just shooting him doing his stand-up. So there were moments like that in our relationship, over the five films where I would see, ‘Oh, he’s always aware.’ He’s aware of more than just the character in the script. He’s aware of the culture in a way that an actor doesn’t have to think about.
While Lee later worked with Washington’s son, John David Washington, on the Oscar-winning BlacKKKlansman, the veteran actor and director have reunited after nearly twenty years to collaborate on Highest 2 Lowest.
Washington’s Approach to Playing Remakes and Adaptations
Washington is no stranger to remakes, having starred in The Equalizer series, adapted from the 1980s television vigilante show, and The Magnificent Seven, inspired by a classic western that itself was based on Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. He adopts a fresh perspective for each role, steering clear of mimicking original characters or stories.
I didn’t study it. It really wasn’t going to affect what it was I was doing. We had a different story. I mean, inspired by that story, and I didn’t want to see something that I really liked, and then then go, ‘Oh, I don’t want to imitate it.’
Unlike Kurosawa’s film, where Toshiro Mifune plays a shoe company head, Highest 2 Lowest is set in today’s music industry, where fame and followers have become the currency of success. Washington observed,
I don’t know what the deep meaning is, but I mean, it’s just increasingly the world we live in. How many followers, how much fame, and you can monetize that?
Reflecting on his own trajectory, Washington noted his breakthrough came through traditional acting routes such as theater and television, contrasting with modern pathways to fame.
It’s easy to say to ‘Oh, back in the day, you had to have talent to become famous’, but there were just different ways of creating fame, then, maybe more behind-the-scenes, strings being pulled. Even in the studio system, back in the day, a hundred years ago, it wasn’t necessarily the most talented actors and actresses [that shone], but they could make stars. Now wannabe stars can make themselves.
He added thoughtfully,
Or at least, people think they can make themselves stars. I guess it’s just more people have access now [to instant exposure]…you had to come through the studio or come through something before.
Social media’s influence is evident in the casting choices for Highest 2 Lowest, which includes rappers A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice in major roles, blending music and film cultures.
Addressing Challenges of Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Entertainment
The film also touches on the ongoing concerns in the entertainment industry about Artificial Intelligence. When asked about AI’s potential impact on filmmaking and acting, Washington responded with calm pragmatism.
Time marches on. The technology is the technology,
he stated, comparing current AI fears to past anxieties about new technologies.
That’s what they said about radio two hundred years ago.
Although AI’s full effect on cinema may emerge after Washington retires, he is untroubled by its prospects.
The difference is we have a soul, heart. We can be hurt, and we can react and create based on our pain. I don’t know if a machine can do that yet. Can they feel? It’s called feelings. You have to feel something. Not just imitate something. You have to feel it. So I don’t know if they figured that out yet, but we’re just at the infant level of it, like they were at the infancy of radio or the infancy of television or the infancy of computers.
His belief emphasizes the unique human capacity to channel emotion into performance, a quality machines have yet to replicate. This serves as a reminder of the enduring power of authentic acting amidst technological advances.
Highest 2 Lowest Brings Denzel Washington’s Final Career Act to Life
Highest 2 Lowest is available in cinemas and on Apple TV+ from Friday, September 5th. This film not only marks a significant point in Washington’s illustrious career but also showcases his ongoing commitment to challenging roles and collaborations with visionary directors. As he curates his final career act, audiences can anticipate a series of powerful performances anchored by collaborations with some of the world’s most respected filmmakers, reinforcing Washington’s lasting imprint on Hollywood.
