Denzel Washington: ‘It’s Just a Movie’

Celebrity whiners are a dime a dozen, but Denzel Washington stands taller than that.

In an interview in mid-December to promote his latest work “Fences,” which he directed and starred in, the A-list actor shared words that stand in compelling contrast to some of the recent celebrity whining.

“People say: ‘Oh, the difficulty of making a movie.’ I’m like, ‘Listen, send your son to Iraq — that’s difficult,”‘ Washington told a roundtable of directors, which included Oliver Stone and Mel Gibson.

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He continued, “It’s like, relax. I don’t play that precious nonsense. It’s like, ‘Oh, a movie.’ Get outta here. ‘Your son got shot in the face?’ That’s difficult.”

The actor, 62, finished by handing a sage lesson to those unable to recognize the incredible privilege of being able to work a dream job.

“Making a movie is a luxury … It’s an opportunity, and most importantly, it’s a gift. Obviously, everybody here is talented enough to do that, but don’t get it twisted. It’s just a movie. It’s not that big of a deal.”

The Academy Award-winning actor, a native of Mount Vernon, New York, also touched on his blue-collar roots.

“I was a garbage man. You get eight hours’ worth of work, but you can do it in three. So you can go home as soon as you finish. Post office, you get three hours’ worth of work and you make it last eight. I did both. I liked being a garbage man better.”

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Washington’s words about the humility that artists should have are in stark contrast to the irritating musings from people like Madonna, Charlie Sheen, U2, and Meryl Streep. At the 74th Golden Globe Awards, Streep called Hollywood “vilified” — while singer Madonna called herself “oppressed” in a recent interview. Enough, people.