Denzel Washington felt “bitter” after losing out on two Best Actor Oscars and stopped voting for the Academy Awards as he indulged in a “pity party”. The acclaimed actor’s candid revelation offers a rare glimpse into the emotional toll of Oscar disappointments on even the most celebrated performers.
The ‘Training Day’ star won his first Oscar for 1989 drama ‘Glory’ in the Best Supporting Actor category but he went on to miss out on the Best Actor prize for ‘Malcolm X’ when he was pitched against ‘Scent of a Woman’ star Al Pacino in 1993 and he lost again in 2000 when he was nominated for ‘Hurricane’ and the top gong went to Kevin Spacey for ‘American Beauty’ – and Denzel admits it was a tough loss. ‘Malcolm X’ had been widely praised by critics, earning a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“At the Oscars, they called Kevin Spacey’s name for ‘American Beauty’. I have a memory of turning around and looking at him, and nobody was standing but the people around him,” he told Esquire magazine. The 2000 Academy Awards ceremony had drawn over 46.3 million viewers, one of the highest-rated broadcasts in Oscar history.
“And everyone else was looking at me. Not that it was this way. Maybe that’s the way I perceived it. Maybe I felt like everybody was looking at me. Because why would everybody be looking at me? Thinking about it now, I don’t think they were. His portrayal of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter had already earned him a Golden Globe Award that year.
“I’m sure I went home and drank that night. I had to. I don’t want to sound like: ‘Oh, he won my Oscar’, or anything like that. It wasn’t like that.” Washington’s performance in ‘The Hurricane’ had been universally acclaimed, with many critics considering him the frontrunner for the Oscar that year.
Denzel began to resent the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and he got his wife to vote for the winners instead. At the time, the Academy had approximately 6,000 voting members, with actors comprising the largest branch.
“I went through a time then when [my wife] Pauletta would watch all the Oscar movies – I told her: ‘I don’t care about that. Hey. They don’t care about me? I don’t care. You vote. You watch them. I ain’t watching that,'” he added. The Academy’s voting process requires members to watch all nominated films in their respective categories.
“I gave up. I got bitter. My pity party.” This period of disillusionment came during a stretch when Washington had appeared in several critically acclaimed films, including ‘The Bone Collector’ and ‘Remember the Titans’.
However, Denzel went on to make a huge comeback just two years later when he won the coveted Best Actor Oscar for his role in ‘Training Day’ and he has since received four more nominations for ‘Flight’, ‘Fences’, ‘Roman J. Israel, Esq.’ and ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’. His win for ‘Training Day’ made him only the second African American actor to win the Best Actor Oscar, following Sidney Poitier’s historic win in 1964.
Washington’s career achievements extend far beyond his Oscar recognition. He has accumulated over $3.7 billion in worldwide box office earnings, starred in more than 50 films, and received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes for his outstanding contributions to entertainment.
His journey from Oscar disappointment to triumph has inspired many in the industry. The actor’s openness about his struggles has resonated with fellow performers who have faced similar setbacks. Statistics show that fewer than 5% of Oscar nominees in major categories win on their first nomination.
The actor’s relationship with the Academy has since been fully restored. He continues to be one of Hollywood’s most respected figures, mentoring younger actors and directing acclaimed films. His production company has also helped launch several successful projects, creating opportunities for diverse storytelling in Hollywood.
Washington’s candid admission about his Oscar losses provides a powerful reminder of the emotional investment artists make in their work. His story of overcoming disappointment to achieve greater success has become an inspiring chapter in Hollywood history, demonstrating the importance of resilience in the face of setbacks.
