Denzel Washington’s favourite scene from ‘Training Day’
Having established himself as one of the most prominent actors of his generation, Denzel Washington is a true global star. Through acclaimed performances in films such as Malcolm X and American Gangster, Washington has garnered many prestigious accolades as a movie star while also drawing attention in the world of theatre. The two merged in 2021 when he played the titular role in Joel Coen’s celebrated adaptation of Macbeth.
While his list of notable appearances is extensive, one movie that will always remain firmly embedded in the hearts of fans is Antoine Fuqua’s 2001 crime thriller Training Day. Starring alongside the immensely talented Ethan Hawke, the film features Washington as a renowned detective who takes Hawke’s character along with him for an evaluation of his skills. Over the course of one day, they both descend into the chaotic and violent realm of gang warfare in the city.
“That movie reminded me of why I love movies. Just characters, I love the characters,” Fuqua said. “I love when you feel them. Not just hear them or you’re not just watching them, you feel them, and Training Day was that. When they were sitting in the cafe talking, I felt them. That’s the first scene I shot and I could feel them, even though they were just bantering a bit. You could feel the tension. You could see it, and that’s Denzel, and that’s Ethan.”
The central casting definitely contributed to the film’s success since it ended up becoming a major commercial hit. In addition to the impressive box office numbers, Washington ended up winning an Oscar for the coveted ‘Best Actor’ category, while Hawke picked up a ‘Best Supporting Actor’ nomination. They gave the movie everything they had, but Washington is still slightly disappointed about not being in his favourite Training Day scene.
During an appearance on the ReelBlend podcast, Hawke revealed that Washington was blown away by one of the key scenes of the film where Hawke’s character gets intimidated by the cartel and is forced into a bathtub with a shotgun in his face. The actor recalled: “I remember about that day. Particularly, Denzel stopped by the set, and he watched for a little while, and he went, ‘Damn! I’m not in the best scene in this movie.'”
Although Washington wasn’t in that scene, his ‘Best Actor’ win was supported by many iconic segments from Training Day that have been immortalised in popular culture. Currently, Fuqua is working on a Training Day prequel centred around a younger version of Washington’s character who finds himself in the middle of the LA riots in 1992.
Watch the scene below.
