Did you know Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson are good friends? While the major Hollywood actors haven’t shared the screen for over 30 years, they remain close. So when Jackson was recently honored at the Museum of Modern Art’s 16th annual Film Benefit, Washington shared warm words about his friend and how their relationship got its start.
When Denzel Washington took the stage to help honor Samuel L. Jackson, he started by saying “Lord forgive me, Samuel Jackson is a bad motherfucker,” (the latter of which is a word that Jackson is very famous for adding to movies) before getting into how the two actors’ friendship began 45 years ago. In Washington’s words (via People):
He had a leading role in [an off-Broadway production of] Mighty Gents. I was an understudy. So I watched him. They fired the guy I was understudying after opening night, I took over. I remember him giving me confidence to do the job. He doesn’t know that until tonight.
Early in both of their careers, before each of them found big breaks in Hollywood films, they crossed paths in New York while they were both doing theater. (Jackson is one of those actors who didn’t strike big until after 40!) As Washington recalled, he was an understudy for a production of the Richard Wesley play The Mighty Gents before he was given a shot to take over the role after the original cast member was fired after opening night. In four decades he had never told Jackson that it was him who gave him the “confidence,” but took the time during the MoMA event to make sure the 75-year-old knows now. How sweet!
The two actors would go on to star together in the 1990 Spike Lee flick, Mo’ Better Blues. While speaking at the event, Denzel Washington shared that Jackson’s daughter Zoe Jackson is like a “daughter” to him and his wife before saying these words:
Nothing but love for you, brother, respect for you. I’m here for you. I’m glad that I’m here for you. I look forward to seeing you and working with you. God bless you.
Washington has been open about there being “very few films left” that he’s interested in, but hopefully there will be another one he and Jackson can do together. The next of upcoming Samuel L. Jackson movies is The Piano Lesson, which serves as the directorial debut for one of Denzel Washington’s sons, Malcolm Washington. It also co-stars Washington’s other son, John David Washington, along with Ray Fisher, Erykah Badu, Danielle Deadwyler and Corey Hawkins. Denzel Washington produced The Piano Lesson as well.
The Piano Lesson is coming to select theaters on November 8 and will be available for those with a Netflix subscription on November 22.