Denzel Washington, 70, Nearly Bit Half His TONGUE Off Amid Shakespeare Play Prep: 'It's Affecting How I Talk!'
Denzel Washington almost bit his tongue off.
Feb. 9 2025, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Denzel Washington is struggling to speak after suffering an almost career-ending injury.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the 70-year-old actor said he nearly bit his tongue in half a few months ago, leading to speech difficulties and challenges for his upcoming role in Othello.
Denzel Washington is set to star in 'Othello' on Broadway.
During a recent appearance on the New York Times Interview podcast, the 70-year-old Training Day actor claimed his injury was affecting his speech and forcing him to slow down as he talks.
The Academy Award winner didn't go into detail about his injury but admitted it had affected his upcoming role in the Broadway revival of Shakespeare's Othello.
He said: "I have a line, 'Whither will you that I go to answer this your charge?' It's hard because my tongue is swollen. It has affected everything."
Denzel Washington has starred in several award winning films and plays.
Washington linked the incident to his "faith journey", emphasizing the importance of prayer in his life.
The actor, who recently embraced ministerial duties, reflected on the incident and claimed it was a sign to reinforce his daily prayers and spiritual connection.
He remarked, "Okay, Lord, I'm here. I think this is what you wanted me to do. Now I'm not sure why (I bit my tongue), but one can say coincidence and serendipity and all those things."
Despite the challenges posed by his injury, Washington remains resolute in his commitment to his craft and faith.
He underscored the significance of aligning his actions with his moral beliefs: "At this point, everything I'm doing is through the lens of what God thinks, not what they think. I don't know what they think."
Denzel Washington is a two-time Academy Award winner.
The stage and film superstar explained: "You go down that hole, you'll never come out of that. When people say, 'What do you want people to get from this movie?' or 'What do you want them to get from this play?' I always say, 'It depends upon what they bring to it.' There's some interesting themes (in Othello) of jealousy and envy and pain and death.
"And Kenny (Leon), the brilliant director, he's putting it in what he calls the near future. So all of those things – jealousy, envy – it takes on a whole new thing with the information age."
Washington continued, affectionately adding that Leon is "nuts."
He said: "I love him. "He's complicated. But he's already got a handle on it. I'm not worried about that, because I don't like to learn the lines too soon. I was telling a young actor who asked, 'Why don't you like to learn them too soon?' I said, 'Because then I'm the voice I'm listening to delivering the cues to myself. I want to hear it from you, and that's going to affect how I say what I say.' For me, that works."
Denzel Washington has a number of projects lined up.
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The Gladiator 2 star recently claimed he was getting ready to retire from acting despite having a number of film and stage shows in the pipeline.
The legendary actor told Australia's Today: "At this point in my career, I'm only interested in working with the best.
"I don't know how many more films I will make; probably not that many. I want to do things that I haven't done."
He laid out several upcoming projects over the next few years, including a role in Black Panther 3, which has yet to be officially announced.
