Denzel Washington famous quotes

Goals on the road to achievement cannot be achieved without discipline and consistency.
-- Denzel Washington

#Discipline #Goal #Achievement

The only reason I'm acting in films I direct is to get the money to make them, quite frankly, it's not what I'm interested in doing.
-- Denzel Washington

#Acting #Film #Reason

If you don't trust the pilot, don't go.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Trust

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

#Acting #Retiring #Great Things

A man once told me that you step out of your door in the morning, and you are already in trouble. The only question is are you on top of that trouble or not?
-- Denzel Washington

#Morning #Men #Doors

My father was a minister for 50 years (with) Pentecostal Church of God in Christ. We prayed about everything, every day, then he always said, "Amen. God is love." I thought God is love was one word. Like "Godislove." And it took me a long time to learn what that really meant.
-- Denzel Washington

#Father #Years #Long

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.
-- Denzel Washington

#Fire #Light #America

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

#Morning #Children #Acting

My mother used to tell me man gives the award, God gives the reward. I don't need another plaque.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

Taking the money from drug operations and all that sort of stuff is something that goes past what most of us in society would expect a policeman should do. That temptation hits the police force at the same time as the temptation to take those drugs that are readily available hits the people on the streets.
-- Denzel Washington

#Past #People #Drug

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

#Party #Awards #Enough Time

If you don't love your fellow man, women, person, then you don't have anything. If you don't treat your neighbor as you would want to be treated that to me is the fundamental message.
-- Denzel Washington

#Love You #Men #Fellow Man

I'm very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That's my cultural historical background, my genetic makeup, but it's not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

I'm a parent. I think we're responsible for the problems that young people have. I believe that. I don't blame them for any of it. I blame us for what we haven't done as mothers and fathers, not sticking together as a unit.
-- Denzel Washington

#Mother #Father #Believe

Don't aspire to make a living, aspire to make a difference.
-- Denzel Washington

#Differences #Making A Difference

I'm selfish, I think. I think an artist has to be. I'm not worried about what people think. I play the parts that I find interesting. It'd bother me more to be just pigeonholed into doing what people think is ethical or that's boring to me. I don't pick parts with that in mind, I just find interesting stories. If it's interesting to me, then I do it.
-- Denzel Washington

#Selfish #Thinking #Artist

Do what you have to do, to do what you want to do.
-- Denzel Washington

#Success #Want #What You Want

Acting is like music and you improvise. It's like jazz, there's no rhyme or reason to it. It's not a plan. You practice to music and you just play it.
-- Denzel Washington

#Practice #Play #Acting

You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That's a part of it.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

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

#Creative #Privilege #Mediums

I made a commitment to completely cut out drinking and anything that might hamper me from getting my mind and body together. And the floodgates of goodness have opened upon me - spiritually and financially.
-- Denzel Washington

#Inspirational #Life #Strength

There's things that I can do as an actor that I couldn't do in any other form of life and I've got a strange personality. But film requires strange people, so I've got a nice comfy home.
-- Denzel Washington

#Nice #Home #People

My role 14 years ago in Richard III - that was the first time I played a bad guy and learned a lot about it - they have all the fun!
-- Denzel Washington

#Fun #Years #Guy

The last few years I've been saying I was ready to quit. It wasn't that interesting to me. Now that I'm directing, it's all new again.
-- Denzel Washington

#Years #Interesting #Lasts

My ultimate life dream project is my kids. My family.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Family #Success

For me, success is inner peace. That's a good day for me.
-- Denzel Washington

#Good Day #Inner Peace

I don't look back, no. Maybe when I'm older; people say, 'What's your favorite film?' I say, 'My next one.' I'm not interested in sitting around; I just don't, never have.
-- Denzel Washington

#People #Looks #Sitting

I pray that you all put your shoes way under the bed at night so that you gotta get on your knees in the morning to find them. And while you're down there thank God for grace and mercy and understanding. We all fall short of the glory, we all got plenty,
-- Denzel Washington

#Morning #Fall #Night

Denzel Washington: I like the collaboration, I like seeing people do well, so I really plan to direct the rest of my days.
-- Denzel Washington

#People #Collaboration #Denzel

I've worked in a factory. I was a garbage man. I worked in a post office. It's not that long ago. I like to think that I'm just a regular guy.
-- Denzel Washington

#Men #Thinking #Long

I love research and being educated. It's a great job being able to step into all kinds of professions and into other people's shoes.
-- Denzel Washington

#Jobs #Shoes #People

The secret to a happy marriage? Do whatever your wife tells you. 'Yes, dear.' And breathe.
-- Denzel Washington

#Success #Wife #Secret

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.
-- Denzel Washington

#Worry #Flying #Captains

Acting is just a way of making a living, the family is life.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Family #Acting

When you trust the director you want to trust his or her choices. I don't want to say, 'No, I don't like this girl or that guy," when the director really loves them. No, you want to go with what the director likes.
-- Denzel Washington

#Girl #Choices #Guy

My faith helps me understand that circumstances don't dictate my happiness, my inner peace.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

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

#Interesting #Tourists #Visitors

I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks.
-- Denzel Washington

#Graduation #Risk #Life Is

I think that we all at some point are in search of something - a higher power, whatever you want to call it, the meaning of life. I know I was, especially at even my son's age in my 20s, and dabbling in Eastern philosophies and yoga and Buddhism and Christianity and Islam. I kind of touched them all, you know, just trying to figure out the meaning of life or if nothing else, figure myself out.
-- Denzel Washington

#Philosophy #Yoga #Buddhism

Cursed be the ground for our sake. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for us. For out of the ground we were taken, for the dust we are and to the dust we shall return.
-- Denzel Washington

#Taken #Dust #Thorns

As an actor, you're a color of paint on someone else's palette. But as a director, it's your canvas and you make the painting you want to make.
-- Denzel Washington

#Color #Directors #Actors

Writing is a weapon and it’s more powerful than a fist could ever be.
-- Denzel Washington

#Powerful #Writing #Fists

Fundamentally, the most important thing is to get the film made for me and to get as many people to see it as possible. And if I help that, then - I know I help that, let's put it that way. I do know that I help that. It is called show business.
-- Denzel Washington

#People #Important #Way

For whatever reason, God has blessed me with the ability, put me in a position to make these leaps and bounds. I'm fulfilling my part of the bargain, which is to give back and be a positive influence on others.
-- Denzel Washington

#Blessed #Giving #Influence

I don't feel pressure, because I do what I want to do. I don't feel pressure at all. I've never done any movies because I thought this was what somebody wanted me to do. I'm a bit more, for lack of a better word, selfish than that. But like I say in the movie, you do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do.
-- Denzel Washington

#Selfish #Done #Want

When people protest and are upset with a movie, it becomes a big hit. They hated Passion of The Christ, it worked out pretty well for the box office. So let's get that going.
-- Denzel Washington

#Passion #People #Office

I'm not interested in being a celebrity; I'm interested in being a better actor and a better director.
-- Denzel Washington

#Directors #Actors #Not Interested

We've all received our share of good fortune, so that's my definition of much. A single blessing is all the bounty in the world, and if you've been blessed at all you're meant to pass some of that on. You're meant to set a positive example. That's our responsibility
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

People have said to me for a long time, "Man you're funny." I say, "Well, I'm quick," but being funny on purpose, take after take - that's why I said for me it was new territory, and so by improvising something might come out that might be good. And it's film, so they can cut it if it isn't.
-- Denzel Washington

#Cutting #Men #Long

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.
-- Denzel Washington

#Mean #Good Day #Eye

Where I think the most work needs to be done is behind the camera, not in front of it.
-- Denzel Washington

#Thinking #Cameras #Needs

I just do what I feel and what I like. I don't necessarily censor or feel an obligation to have a particular moral standard - I'm willing to wallow in the mud, if necessary. It appears as if there seems to be a consistency in result, but maybe that has as much to do with the roles I choose as it does with how I play them. I do what pleases me.
-- Denzel Washington

#Play #Consistency #Doe

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).
-- Denzel Washington

#Impact #Important #Example

I honestly believe, and I've said it many times, that the universal stems from the specific and I can't walk around with a performance and ask everyone how they feel about it, but if noble is an opinion that people have I'll accept that. I've been asked many times why I don't play bad guys, or heavies, and I would do it, absolutely, in a second, just haven't been offered any so... if anybody has a script out there tonight I'm more than willing.
-- Denzel Washington

#Believe #Play #People

True desire in the heart for anything good is God's proof to you sent beforehand to indicate that it's yours already,
-- Denzel Washington

#Heart #Desire #Proof

My mother used to tell me: "You gotta smile more. Because if you don't smile, the way you look at people, they'll think you're mad at them."
-- Denzel Washington

#Mother #Thinking #People

To protect the sheep, you gotta catch the wolf. And it takes a wolf to catch a wolf, you understand?
-- Denzel Washington

#Sheep #Protect

We've all had some level of injustice, whether 20 years in prison, or 20 minutes sitting in your car waiting for a police officer to determine your future. Or even a few moments in an elevator with some woman clutching her purse thinking you're going to rob her ¾ regardless of celebrity, that has happened to me.
-- Denzel Washington

#Thinking #Years #Car

Any good piece of material like Shakespeare ought to be open to reinterpretation.
-- Denzel Washington

#Pieces #Reinterpretation #Materials

I'm not afraid to upset people. But I am not as upset because I understand what I'm up against.
-- Denzel Washington

#People #Upset #Not Afraid

I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

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.
-- Denzel Washington

#Writing #Effort #Film

I say luck is when an opportunity comes along and you're prepared for it.
-- Denzel Washington

#Motivational #Success #Opportunity

When people say "What do you want people to get from this movie?" I say, "Well, it depends on what they bring to it." I don't try to decide what people should get from it or why. I don't do a part for those kinds of reasons.
-- Denzel Washington

#People #Trying #Want

Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

I think that if there can be considered racism it's to do with the lack of opportunities for writers and producers and the people behind the camera.
-- Denzel Washington

#Opportunity #Thinking #Racism

The lessons I learned in Sunday School have kept me on track
-- Denzel Washington

#School #Sunday #Track

Americans love to talk about the Constitution and how it protects the rights of every citizen and promises freedom to every citizen, but it's also a country based on racism and they don't talk about that too much and every time there's a film which deals with it there's certain parts of the country that feel uncomfortable.
-- Denzel Washington

#Country #Rights #Racism

I read the Bible every day.
-- Denzel Washington

Be careful what you ask for because when you pray for rain, you have to deal with the mud as well.
-- Denzel Washington

#Rain #Mud #Praying

Man gives you the award but God gives you the reward.
-- Denzel Washington

#Men #Awards #Giving

I think we're fascinated by gangsters and that whole lifestyle and crossing the line. We get sort of stuck in our normal lives, if you will, and you want to be bigger than life and I think people somehow live through these sorts of characters.
-- Denzel Washington

#Character #Thinking #People

I think a role model is a mentor - someone you see on a daily basis, and you learn from them.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

I read a ton of scripts. I read a lot of scripts, and you read one, and first of all, you felt like you read it in 14 minutes, because you're turning the pages so fast you can't wait to see what's going to happen.
-- Denzel Washington

#Waiting #Pages #Scripts

I never really had the classic struggle. I had faith.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

The poorest people are the sweetest people.
-- Denzel Washington

#People #Sweetest

The Bible says "faith without works is nothing" so destiny is great, fate is great, faith is great - but you still have to work at it. I don't just sit at home and wait for it all to unfold.
-- Denzel Washington

#Home #Fate #Destiny

Put God first in everything you do.
-- Denzel Washington

#Firsts #God First #Put God First

Growing up I didn't watch movies.
-- Denzel Washington

#Growing Up #Watches #Growing

It's not what you know, it's what you can prove.
-- Denzel Washington

#Prove

Dakota Fanning is a child, but she is a wonderful actor. I don't know what a child actor is. She's an actor who's a child.
-- Denzel Washington

#Children #Actors #Wonderful

I've worked with children all my life.
-- Denzel Washington

#Children

Every punch that's thrown is mine. Every punch that's caught, I catch....
-- Denzel Washington

#Caught #Thrown

In my humble opinion, in the nuclear world, the true enemy is war itself.
-- Denzel Washington

#War #Humble #Enemy

Got to be who you are in this world, no matter what.
-- Denzel Washington

#Be Who You Are #World #Matter

Why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss, or dream? Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt by the heart.
-- Denzel Washington

#Beautiful #Dream #Eye

If you don't fail, you're not even trying.
-- Denzel Washington

#Trying #Failing

Dreams without goals, are just dreams and they ultimately fuel disappointment.
-- Denzel Washington

#Dream #Disappointment #Goal

I'm not a film buff. I don't watch a lot of movies.
-- Denzel Washington

#Movie #Watches #Film

There's racism everywhere.
-- Denzel Washington

#Race #Racism

A film is just like a muffin. You make it. You put it on the table. One person might say, Oh, I don't like it. One might say it's the best muffin ever made. One might say it's an awful muffin. It's hard for me to say. It's for me to make the muffin.
-- Denzel Washington

#Criticism #Tables #Might

Bad guys need love too.
-- Denzel Washington

#Guy #Needs #Need Love

Thank God in advance for what's already yours.
-- Denzel Washington

#Thank God

I work hard for the audience. It's entertainment. I don't need validation.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

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.
-- Denzel Washington

#Life #Success #Faith

Put God first in everything you do ... Everything that I have is by the grace of God, understand that. It's a gift ... I didn't always stick with Him, but He stuck with me.
-- Denzel Washington

#Grace #Firsts #Sticks

I got on my knees and sort of communicated with the spirits. When I came out, I was in charge. I couldn't have acted that, I couldn't have written that.
-- Denzel Washington

#Knees #Spirit

Money doesn't buy happiness. Some people say it's a heck of a down payment, though.
-- Denzel Washington

#People #Payment

You will never see a U-Haul behind a hearse,
-- Denzel Washington

#Behinds

It was never my dream to be famous. I didn’t start acting to be a movie star. I started in the theater and my desire was to get better at my craft. It’s still my desire. I don’t consider myself a movie star, nor do I really have the desire to be one. I’m just an entertainer...An actor who works hard at his craft. Whatever labels people give me, that’s not really me or part of my process.
-- Denzel Washington

#Dream #Stars #Hard Work