Denzel Washington has always been known as a man who marches to the beat of his own drum, and at this stage in his legendary career, he’s making it clear that he has no time for the fleeting opinions of the public or the shine of golden trophies. While many celebrities are tangled in the messy web of cancel culture or caught up in the pursuit of awards, Washington is choosing an entirely different path. He’s reminding everyone that some things simply don’t matter in the grand scheme of life.
The conversation began while he was promoting his latest project Highest 2 Lowest with longtime collaborator Spike Lee. During a sit-down with Complex News, host Jillian Hardeman-Webb brought up the elephant in the room, asking Washington if he or Lee worried about being “canceled.” The very word seemed to puzzle Washington, who immediately pushed back, asking, “What does that mean, being canceled?” When Hardeman-Webb explained that it means losing public support, Washington dismissed the thought with a simple, almost amused question: “Who cares? What made public support so important to begin with?”
That moment captured what sets Washington apart from so many of his peers. In an era where public image is currency and social media followers can dictate whether a project succeeds or fails, Washington isn’t interested in chasing validation. Hardeman-Webb pointed out that followers are considered currency in today’s world, but Washington wasn’t buying it. His answer was sharp and definitive: “I don’t care who’s following. You can’t lead and follow at the same time, and you can’t follow and lead at the same time.”
The weight of those words carried beyond the interview. For Washington, the need to be liked or followed is a trap, one that can pull people away from their purpose. His life, by his own account, is guided not by the ups and downs of public opinion but by faith. He made that point clear when he added, “You can’t be canceled if you haven’t signed up. Don’t sign up.” To him, the game of cancel culture is only dangerous if you choose to play it. Refuse to play, and it can’t touch you.
Cancel culture, defined as the practice of withdrawing support from public figures or businesses after they’ve said or done something objectionable, has become one of the most polarizing cultural forces in recent years. It can topple careers overnight and change the direction of industries. Celebrities, politicians, influencers, and even ordinary people have felt its sting. Some fight back, some apologize, and some try to quietly wait for the storm to pass. Washington, however, doesn’t see the need to even acknowledge it. His message is simple: don’t depend on the public for validation, and the public can’t take anything away.
What’s even more telling is that Washington has applied the same philosophy to another cornerstone of Hollywood life: the Academy Awards. For most actors, winning an Oscar is the pinnacle of success, a sign that they’ve been recognized by their peers and cemented their legacy. But for Washington, the Oscars are far from a measure of his worth. In another recent interview, this time with entertainment reporter Jake Hamilton on Jake’s Takes, Washington admitted that he doesn’t put much value on the trophies. “I don’t do it for Oscars,” he said plainly. “I really don’t care about that kind of stuff. I’ve been at this a long time. There’s times when I won and shouldn’t have won, and shouldn’t have won and won… Man gives the award. God gives the reward.”
Those words reflect a deeper sense of purpose that has followed Washington throughout his career. He has long been open about his faith, crediting God with his success and keeping his priorities aligned with something greater than the Hollywood machine. The Oscars, with all their prestige and glamour, mean little in comparison. Washington doubled down on that point when he explained that, at the end of his life, those awards won’t matter at all. “I’m not that interested in Oscars. You know, people will ask me, well, where do you keep it? I say, next to the other one. I’m not bragging. I’m just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, it ain’t gon’ do me a bit of good.”
That kind of detachment is rare in Hollywood, where awards season is treated like a high-stakes battleground and actors often campaign aggressively for recognition. Washington’s résumé speaks for itself: he won his first Oscar in 1990 for Glory, his second in 2002 for Training Day, and has been nominated a total of ten times, most recently in 2022 for The Tragedy of Macbeth. For most actors, that kind of track record would be a crowning achievement. For Washington, it’s simply part of the journey, not the destination.
What makes his stance so refreshing is how it strips away the illusions surrounding fame. Cancel culture and awards are two sides of the same coin—one is about fear of losing approval, the other about craving recognition. Both keep people tethered to public opinion, constantly measuring their worth by how others perceive them. Washington, however, refuses to live on that tightrope. His focus is on work, faith, and the values that truly endure.
In many ways, Washington’s attitude is a lesson not just for actors but for anyone navigating a world obsessed with validation. The rise of social media has blurred the lines between celebrity culture and everyday life. Regular people now experience their own versions of “cancelation,” whether through online shaming, workplace politics, or social circles. And just like actors chase awards, people often chase likes, followers, and recognition in their own spheres. Washington’s words serve as a reminder that none of it has to define you.
It’s also worth noting how Washington’s perspective connects to his body of work. From Malcolm X to Fences, from Training Day to The Book of Eli, many of his roles have centered on complex characters who grapple with questions of morality, integrity, and power. His performances often highlight the tension between external perception and internal truth. Offscreen, Washington seems to embody the same principle. He is less concerned with how he is perceived and more concerned with what he knows to be right.
Hollywood has always been a place where image can make or break a career, but Washington is charting his own path, one that is remarkably free of vanity. His dismissal of cancel culture and the Oscars isn’t arrogance—it’s clarity. He knows who he is, and he doesn’t need the approval of strangers or the shine of statues to validate his journey. That level of self-assurance is rare, and it’s one of the reasons why he continues to be respected not just as an actor but as a man.
At 69 years old, Washington could easily rest on his laurels, but instead, he’s still creating, still collaborating with the likes of Spike Lee, and still offering wisdom that cuts through the noise of modern culture. His perspective is a grounding force in an industry that often loses sight of what matters. When he says that God gives the reward, not man, he’s not just talking about awards—he’s talking about life itself. The applause fades, the trophies gather dust, the critics move on. What remains is the impact you’ve made and the integrity you’ve upheld.
That’s why his words resonate so deeply. They challenge us to reconsider what we value, what we chase, and what we fear. Cancel culture, awards, followers—all of it can be stripped away in an instant. But purpose, faith, and character are untouchable. Washington isn’t just rejecting cancel culture and Oscars; he’s reminding us that there are higher standards to live by.
In the end, Denzel Washington doesn’t need to be canceled, and he doesn’t need to be crowned. He’s already chosen his path, one guided by principles that don’t shift with the tides of public opinion. For him, the real reward isn’t on a stage or in a headline. It’s in the life he’s lived, the work he’s done, and the faith that grounds him. And that’s a message that carries far more weight than any award or any online backlash ever could.