Denzel Washington Opens Up About How He Feels After Receiving Minister’s License

Published: January 8, 2025

Denzel Washington Opens Up About How He Feels After Receiving Minister’s License

By Movieguide® Contributor

It’s been an eventful time for Denzel Washington, who recently became a minister and set a record with his 11th Golden Globe award.

“In December, Washington took on a new role in his life as he received his minister’s license,” Fox News reported. “Washington was baptized by Bishop James Pullings Jr. at the Kelly Temple in New York City.”

“It took a while, but I’m finally here…If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you,” Washington said. “The sky literally is the limit.”

Washington has been an outspoken believer in Hollywood for many years now.

He previously wrote in Esquire, “When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I’ve been given by my lord and savior. I’m unafraid.”

“I don’t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it — you can’t talk like that and win Oscars. You can’t talk like that and party. You can’t say that in this town,” Washington added.

He continues to talk about his faith, even though it’s not a very welcomed topic in Hollywood.

“I’m free now. It’s not talked about in this town. It’s not talked about…It’s not fashionable. It’s not sexy,” he said.

“But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe. There’s no such thing called Hollywood anyway. What does that even mean? That, to me, means a street called Hollywood Boulevard,” he wrote.

Washington made history this year when he won his 11th Golden Globe.

The 70-year-old “has received the most nominations for a Black actor in all of the Golden Globe’s 81-year history,” Pure Wow reported. “This year marks Washington’s 11th nomination, surpassing the previous record set by the legendary Sidney Poitier. He’s nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in GLADIATOR II.”

Last year, Washington got to meet King Charles III during his GLADIATOR II premiere.

“I didn’t know if I was supposed to grab your hand or not,” Washington nervously smiled as he gave the king’s hand a shake.

“I’m just an awful…I’m a lovely man, you’ll see,” Washington told him. “I’m a lovely chap.”

“You’ve been in so many films, it’s fantastic,” King Charles replied.

“Thank you, thank you,” Washington said.

Washington later told Jimmy Kimmel that he “forgot everything” about royal protocol during his meeting with the king.

“They got all these rules about ‘you can’t be too close,’ ‘let them speak first,’ ‘don’t shake hands,’” Denzel explained. “I forgot it all.”

In November, Washington hinted at retirement on the TODAY show.

“For me, it’s about the filmmaker, especially at this point in my career,” “I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I’m gonna make — probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.”

His next roles will be “Othello” on Broadway, Carthaginian general Hannibal in an upcoming Netflix project, King Lear in another movie and a role in the third BLACK PANTHER movie, directed by Steve McQueen.

“After that, I’m going to retire,” the Teddy Bear Award® winner said.

But later the actor clarified, “I didn’t say I was going to go into retirement. I said that it has to be a level of interest for me. I’m more interested in getting behind the camera, so that’s about five years out.”

“It’s very difficult,” he told Buzzfeed. “And I may have used the word ‘retire,’ but I look at life in three sections: you learn, you earn, you return. I’m in the return part of life.”

In October, Washington wasn’t happy with some fans who heckled for his attention at a film benefit honoring Samuel L. Jackson.

In a video at the event Denzel said to the fans, “Put this down. I heard you. You talk about showing love…respect me. I said, ‘I’ll see you when I get out.’”

“Which part of that don’t y’all understand?” Washington continued. “Or not, or not! We can do it another way. I can do it both ways, y’all,” he said as he walked into the event.

Fox News stated it is unknown what led to the exchange.