Denzel Washington he did not become an actor. It became the standard. Two Academy Awards. A Golden Globe. Various designations. He was in the movie ‘Malcolm X’. ‘Training day’. ‘Glory’. ‘Fences’. ‘Philadelphia’. ‘Freedom to Cry’. He has directed films. It has produced He is a mentor to young actors. It has won every major entertainment award. He has been at the forefront of this industry for decades. But what defines Denzel Washington isn’t just his accomplishments. It’s what he does with his platform when he arrives. It uses voice to send a valid message; as he once said, “Without commitment, you’ll never start, but more importantly, without consistency, you’ll never finish. It’s not easy.”
Denzel Washington quote of the day
“Without commitment, you’ll never start, but more importantly, without consistency, you’ll never finish. It’s not easy.”Denzel Washington had this to say while accepting the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture at the 2017 awards show. But this was no ordinary acceptance speech where you thank people and leave. This was Denzel using one of the biggest stages in entertainment to speak to the next generation. He spoke about the young filmmakers, actors, singers, writers and producers coming up behind his generation. He mentioned Barry Jenkins specifically, saying, “Young people understand, this young man made 10, 15, 20 short films before he got the chance to do Moonlight, so don’t give up.”He then delivered the gist of his message: “Without commitment, you’ll never start, but more importantly, without consistency, you’ll never finish. It’s not easy. If it were easy, there would be no Kerry Washington. If it were easy, Taraji Henson wouldn’t exist. If it were easy, there would be no Octavia Spencer. But not only that, if it was easy, there would be no Viola Davis. If it were easy, there would be no Mykelti Williamson. no Stephen McKinley Henderson. No Russell Hornsby. If it were easy, there would be no Denzel Washington. So keep working. Keep trying. Don’t give up. Fall seven times, get up eight. Ease is a greater threat to progress than difficulty. So keep moving, keep growing, keep learning.”
What does it really mean?
Denzel Washington is making an important distinction. Commitment starts you off. That’s the hardest part for most people. You have an idea. You want to be a filmmaker. You want to be an actor. You want to write. You want to create But commitment is what separates the people who talk about it and the people who actually do it. Commitment is showing even when no one is watching. He’s making those ten short films that no one sees. That section will go to auditions you don’t get. It’s about putting in the work when there’s no guarantee of success.But then comes the really hard part. Consistency Commitments will get you started, but consistency is what keeps you going when results don’t come. When you’ve been rejected a hundred times. When you’ve been working for years and still haven’t taken a break. When everyone around you tells you to get a real job. When you’re broken and tired, and no one believes in you. Then consistency is important. However, then you continue.And then Denzel says it’s not easy. It doesn’t sugar coat. He lists all these highly successful people and if it were easy, none of them would exist. Because simplicity does not create excellence. Fights yes. Denzel says that adversity really pushes you forward. It makes you better. It forces you to dig deeper and find resources you didn’t know existed. But ease satisfies you. Ease makes you settle for less than your best.It is crucial that ease is a greater threat to progress than difficulty. Difficulty forces you to keep moving. To keep growing. To continue learning. So the difficulty of this path is what really protects and makes it worth it. Only truly committed people will stick around when the going gets tough. And then he ends by saying “fall down seven times, get up eight”. That’s the difference between people who do and people who don’t.
Who is Denzel Washington?
Denzel Washington was born in Mount Vernon (New York) in 1954 and came into the world as one of the most brilliant actors in the history of cinema, always taking on challenging, complex and socially important roles.According to IMDB, his breakthrough came with powerful performances in films like ‘Cry Freedom’ and ‘Glory’, where he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, proving that he could dominate any scene. He won his second Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in ‘Training Day’, becoming one of the few actors to win in both categories. He has appeared in iconic movies like ‘Malcolm X’ and ‘Philadelphia’ directed by Spike Lee. Tom HanksHe also directed ‘American Gangster’, ‘The Equalizer’ series, ‘2 Guns’, ‘Safe House’, ‘Flight’, ‘Fences’.In addition to acting, Denzel Washington is also known as a filmmaker and director. As well as his direction, he has directed films like ‘Antwone Fisher’, ‘The Great Debaters’ and ‘Fences’. He has won numerous Golden Globes and NAACP Image Awards, and has been nominated repeatedly for nearly every major award in the entertainment industry. He’s had a seat on the bench for decades and has been overlooked for picking interesting cases that reflect the human condition and American race, justice, and identity.It’s not just his ability to act, but his willingness to do it for something bigger than himself that makes Denzel Washington stand out. He mentors young actors. He uses his acceptance speeches to inspire the next generation. He chooses the roles that matter. He directs films that have something to say. His speech at the 2017 NAACP Image Awards captured the essence of his philosophy. He is not only successful. He succeeds by maintaining his integrity, while helping others, while moving the industry forward. His message of commitment and consistency, that nothing worthwhile is easy, is the philosophy that built his legendary career and now passes it on to the next generation of filmmakers and actors who come after him.
