Denzel Washington Had to Admit He Was ‘Wrong’ When He Turned Down a Role That Made Brad Pitt a Star

Denzel Washington’s Hollywood career is marked by many successes, but he also has some regrets. One of his biggest was declining a role that ultimately turned Brad Pitt into a star.

It’s a common occurrence in the entertainment industry, where actors often make difficult choices about which projects to take. In this case, however, Washington’s decision had a lasting impact on Pitt’s career, and the role became one of the most iconic in Hollywood history.

Denzel Washington reveals his two major regrets in Hollywood

Despite boasting one of the best careers in the movie industry, Washington has had two major regrets. His first is turning down the lead role in the 1995 movie, Seven. The other was walking away from the 2007 thriller Michael Clayton.

In regards to the latter, Washington was offered the role that eventually got handed to George Clooney. Although there are many reasons why actors reject parts, Washington revealed that the script wasn’t why he walked. 

According to Yahoo, Washington recalled that he had doubts about director Tony Gilroy. The movie was Gilroy’s directorial debut and Washington didn’t think he could pull it off.

“With [Michael] Clayton, it was the best material I had read in a long time,” he shared. “I was nervous about a first-time director, and I was wrong. It happens.”

It is interesting to think how the film would be different if Washington had played the lead in Michael Clayton. Unfortunately for Washington, this isn’t the only role he regrets rejecting.

Denzel Washington walked away from the movie that made Brad Pitt a star

Although Washington is not known for aggressively seeking out scripts, he does have a few regrets about turning down certain films.

After watching the finished film, Washington expressed immediate regret about passing on the opportunity. The actor admitted that he had expected Seven to be something different.

Luckily, the decision did not negatively impact Washington’s career. The actor went on to enjoy a very successful career on the big screen and remains one of Hollywood’s top stars. 

“I turned down Seven. They wanted me to play the Brad Pitt role. I thought the script was too demonic. Then I saw the movie, and I was like ‘Aw. I blew it.’ But it’s worked out alright,” Washington stated.

Contemplating the possibility of Washington portraying David Mills in Seven provokes curiosity about how the film might have differed. Such a decision could have impacted the performances of other cast members, like Morgan Freeman, who portrayed Mills’ guide and mentor, Detective William Somerset.

Brad Pitt’s Hollywood career took off following ‘Seven’

Pitt was perhaps the biggest winner in Washington’s decision to reject the part in Seven. The movie, directed by David Fincher, went on to have major success at the box office. 

After it was all said and done, Seven earned well over $300 million in theaters. With a budget of only $33 million, the film enjoyed a healthy profit. 

The thriller also brought Pitt directly into the spotlight. But he actually had producers agree to a special clause in order to accept the iconic role. This included not removing the item from the box at the end of the film and getting to shoot the bad guy. 

Needless to say, Pitt’s performance in Seven was one of his best over the years. And to think it may have never happened if it hadn’t been for Washington.