Denzel Washington is often considered to be one of the greatest actors of the generation. The two-time Oscar winner has been in the industry for almost five decades and has done a variety of roles. He is often credited with changing the way African-American characters were depicted on screen and has influenced many younger actors.
An actor who is as busy and prolific as Washington always has some scripts that he has said no to and the Training Day star reportedly has a bunch of them. However, his biggest regret was David Fincher’s Se7en, which was offered to him before it went to Brad Pitt. Washington revealed that he regretted it as he felt the script was too “demonic” when he read it.
Films Rejected By Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington has played many iconic roles in his almost fifty-year career. Receiving his breakthrough with the TV drama St. Elsewhere, he rose to prominence with the military films A Soldier’s Story, Cry Freedom, and Glory. The latter won him his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Washington then played a number of heroic roles, changing the perception of the African-American character in mainstream Hollywood. He starred in films such as Malcolm X, Philadelphia, The Pelican Brief, and The Hurricane. The actor then earned his second Academy Award, his first for Best Actor with the film Training Day.
With a filmography filled with wins, there were a few that slipped from him, either by his own rejection or by the filmmakers. Washington was reportedly the first choice for the legal drama Michael Clayton, but he passed on the opportunity as it was by a debutant director. George Clooney ended up playing the role and earning a nomination for Best Actor.
Washington also turned down the role of Curtis Taylor Jr. in the screen adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls. The actor reportedly turned down the role as he could not sing and was replaced by Jamie Foxx, who won universal acclaim for his performance. Washington was also approached for the role of Del Spooner in I, Robot, which he turned down. Will Smith would star in the role.
Denzel Washington Turned Down Se7en As He Felt It Was Too Demonic
One of the major roles that Denzel Washington turned down was the role of David Mills in David Fincher’s seminal crime thriller Se7en. The film starred Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt as two detectives hunting down a serial killer whose murders reference the seven deadly sins. The film was universally acclaimed and is considered to be one of the greatest thrillers.
Brad Pitt, who plays David Mills, was only known as a romantic leading man until Fincher’s dark thriller. Pitt gained newfound popularity due to his harrowing performance as the rookie detective who finds himself in a bizarre case. However, the role was reportedly first offered to Denzel Washington who rejected it.
In a conversation with Jamie Foxx on the talk show Off-Script, Washington expressed regret at turning down David Fincher’s Se7en. He said,
“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.”
The film was also one of the breakthrough roles of Kevin Spacey, whose appearance was kept a secret until the film was released. Se7en was the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Brad Pitt and David Fincher, who reunited films such as Fight Club and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
