Denzel Washington Once Felt Actors Aren’t Worth the Money They Get
Actor Denzel Washington is one of the highest-paid film stars in Hollywood, resulting in his massive net worth. But as much as he’s worked for his money, Washington questioned if he and other A-listers deserved what they brought in.
How Denzel Washington once felt about his acting salary
After years of proving his worth as a movie star, Washington was able to command the kind of salaries reserved for Hollywood’s top stars. He reportedly found himself making $10-$20 million per film. It was a milestone the Training Day star was proud to achieve since it placed him in the same category as other A-listers.
“Yes, in the sense that I’ve reached a certain level in the profession where my value as an actor is equated with the other top stars in the business,” he once told Games Radar. “For me, the money is secondary to the work, and it always will be. But it’s very pleasant all the same to be in a position to command that kind of paycheck. This is a business, no matter how much we may preach to you about our art!”
But as happy as Washington was to receive his earnings, the Oscar winner seemed like he’d do just fine without the huge paycheck. The real reward for his work was the respect from his peers.
“None of us are worth what we get,” Washington once said according to Black Film. “When I first started working in college, I started at $650 a week and that was good enough. My intention was to grow as an actor and to get better. As a result, I have been recognized by the people and I’m blessed and that has become compensation.”
Denzel Washington has made some bad movies while earning millions
Even Washington asserted that his filmography isn’t as flawless as it might seem. For every Glory and Hurricane, there’s Heart Condition, Virtuosity, and other poorly reviewed features. Once he hit critical success for some of his more iconic films, Washington started making content based on his earning potential. This led to a few errors in judgment in his earlier days.
“Well, in life, you learn, earn, and then you return — as in give back. So if your life is 90 years long, up until 30 you learn and from 30 to 60 you earn,” Washington told The Times. “So in that era, I was earning. “With a great agent, my career built into making money, and so the earning kicked in and then life also kicked in, with bills, four kids and a house …”
“After Malcolm X, I made some real clunkers. Look them up; I won’t say their names,” Washington added.
The star asserted that most of the stinkers on his resume could be mostly found in one time period.
“They are all in the 1990s. But I was earning. I had responsibilities,” he said.
However, with Washington set to bow out of acting soon, the good movies he’s done will far outweigh the bad when it’s all said and done.
What has Denzel Washington done with his money?
Washington’s earnings have given him and his family the type of financial security that could last several lifetimes. In 1992, he purchased a Beverly Hills mega-mansion once owned by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner. The New York native reportedly purchased the luxurious property for $10 million. Thanks to renovations he did on the home, it’s now worth $80 million. The American Gangster actor also purchased an apartment for $13 million in Manhattan.
Additionally, he’s donated a lot of money to charities like The Boys and Girls Club and HBCUs. Depending on circumstances, Washington also doesn’t seem opposed to donating to someone in person.
“You know, I stopped for gas the other day and I saw a woman stressed,” he once remembered. “I’m just sensitive, I guess. My sister is bipolar, so I could tell that she was mentally ill. So I said, ‘How you doing, sweetheart?’ and asked if she needed money. I said, ‘$500?’ She said no — $1,000! I thought she ain’t that crazy!”
Washington still gave the stranger money, while also providing a bit of a learning experience.
“Then, as I’m pumping gas, she walked over to the shop window just rocking and a woman came out and looked like she was going to shoo her away. Then she saw me and said, ‘I love you!’ So I said, ‘You have a chance to help somebody, like I helped her.’ And the woman did. And I love that,” he said.
