Cinema’s definitive “bad motherfucker,” according to Denzel Washington
In cinematic terms, the great Denzel Washington is undoubtedly a “bad motherfucker”.
However, he thinks another A-list star, who just happens to be one of his best friends, is the definitive bad motherfucker in Hollywood.
Washington’s history with this actor, who has always been known as one of the coolest dudes in the game, goes back 46 years to an Off-Broadway production of Richard Wesley’s The Mighty Gents. At this point, Washington was the younger star serving as backup for one of the cast members, while his soon-to-be friend was the lead in the play.
“I was an understudy,” Washington remembered while giving a speech in honour of his baddest pal, Samuel L Jackson, at the Museum of Modern Art’s 16th annual Film Benefit. “So, I watched him. They fired the guy I was understudying after opening night. I took over. I remember him giving me the confidence to do the job. He doesn’t know that until tonight.”
In truth, is it any wonder that Washington’s pick for cinema’s definitive “bad motherfucker” is the man who shot to superstardom while playing a character who owned a wallet emblazoned with said words? Indeed, Jules Winfield’s “Bad Motherfucker” wallet became so popular in the wake of Pulp Fiction that replicas sold like hotcakes, and the term became synonymous with Jackson from then on.
Throughout his career, Jackson has continued to play bad motherfuckin’ characters like John Shaft, Nick Fury, Mitch Henessey, Mace Windu, and Major Marquis Warren, cementing his status as everyone’s favourite foul-mouthed, cooler-than-thou cinematic presence. Washington is no slouch in this department either, though, with Malcolm X, Detective Alonzo Harris, John Creasy, Frank Lucas, and Robert McCall giving Jackson a run for his money.
For Washington and Jackson, though, there is something much more important than their propensity for being badasses on-screen. You see, even though Washington’s speech began with a crowd-pleasing, “Lord forgive me, Samuel Jackson is a bad motherfucker,” it quickly settled into a heartfelt ode to a “great actor, great friend” who has become more like “family” over the years. “He’s my children’s uncle,” Washington said warmly, before adding that Jackson’s daughter Zoe “is like our daughter.”
From Jackson’s perspective, the love is very much reciprocated, and he considers Washington’s family to be his family, too. He told People magazine that he’s known Washington’s four children since birth, and revealed, “We live close together. So, they spend a lot of time in my house, hanging out with my daughter and watching films with me. We’ve been close for a very long time.”
Given the closeness of the two men and their families, it’s perhaps surprising that they’ve only starred in one movie together: Spike Lee’s 1990 musical comedy-drama Mo’ Better Blues. However, in recent years, the family connection has paid off in full effect. In 2022, Jackson starred in a Broadway revival of the August Wilson play The Piano Lesson, and Washington’s son, Tenet star John David, played Jackson’s son on stage. Then, in 2024, a movie adaptation of the play came to Netflix starring Jackson and John David, which was directed by Malcolm, another of Washington’s sons, in his directorial debut.
Whether or not the two icons have a big screen collaboration in their future remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Washington will remain close friends with the “bad motherfucker” he first met so many years ago. “Nothing but love for you, brother, respect for you,” the Training Day star’s speech concluded. “I’m here for you. I’m glad that I’m here for you…God bless you.”
