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Quote by Denzel Washington

“I worked with Sidney Lumet years ago, and we had a long rehearsal process, and he would tape out the entire set on the stage, so I stole that from him.”

Quote by Denzel Washington

Author

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington is a renowned actor celebrated for his versatility and profound performances. He has been honored with two Academy Awards for Best Actor for his performances in 'Glory' (1989) and 'Training Day' (2001). Washington has been active in the film industry since the early 1980s, earning recognition for roles in films such as 'Malcolm X' (1992) and 'Philadelphia' (1993). more

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“We rehearsed for two weeks [in "Fences"], and we taped out the whole house in the front, and the rooms, and we stood it up like a play. We tried to get off book and gave people small props.”

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Author:Denzel Washington

“What we did [shooting "Fences"] was we got young students from Carnegie Mellon, the acting and theater students, and we had them as our understudies. I told them, "You have to be off book and be ready. If Viola [Davis] has to leave you have to jump in."”

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“I had the kid [on "Fences" ] who understudied me so I could stand back and think about shots so he had to learn the blocking and everything. I'd come in early sometimes, and they 'd be in there rehearsing and working on their stuff. I didn't want them to feel like, "Oh these are people who can't be touched." We're all working actors; we're all trying to get better.”

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Author:Denzel Washington

“It's tricky with monologues, and I never like to use that word. Like I told the actors, you are talking to somebody; there is no such thing as a monologue.”

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“[Having monologue] are talking to somebody even if it's just to yourself, convince yourself if that's what you're trying to do.”

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“You start to find a rhythm and usually if it makes me laugh or comment in the editing room then I knew that's what's going to happen in the audience. That first reaction is usually the right reaction.”

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“It was hard, that confrontation scene [in "Fences"], that was a hard one. I felt like it was relentless, I never felt like I could just drop the ball when the coverage was on him or anything else.”

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“For me, that was a hard scene [in "Fences"] to do twenty-something times, which (laughing), I counted. That was difficult, but once I did it, I felt like I could do anything.”

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“I try to encourage actors to work harder off screen because that's where you find things.”

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“People tend to relax when they're off camera. That's when they should be working the hardest.”

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Author:Denzel Washington