Denzel Washington, 69, is flirting with retirement.
The Oscar winner tells Empire that he’s starting to limit his acting roles but was “inspired” enough by the script for Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator,” that it was too tempting not to hop onboard the project.
“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in, and I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” he told Empire.
Washington previously hinted at retirement from acting while guesting at the American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach, Florida in June.
“The things that are going on for me professionally behind the camera are as important to me now as in front of the camera,” said Washington. “I think there’s less and less time I’ll be spending in front of the camera.”
Washington has been at it for over 40 years. He’s recently started delving more in directing and producing, helming such titles as “Antwone Fisher” “The Great Debaters,” “Fences” and “A Journal for Jordan.”
Washington is one of the great actors of modern cinema, and he’s amassed one of the great bodies of work in the field. Some of his more iconic roles can be found in such films as “Glory,” “Training Day,” “Crimson Tide,” “Malcolm X,” “The Hurricane,” and “American Gangster.”
For the time being, Washington just shot Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” and is still attached to star in Antoine Fuqua’s General Hannibal film. “Gladiator II” hits theaters November 22.