Ignore Cancel Culture, Denzel Washington Says: “Don’t Sign Up”
Denzel Washington isn’t worried about cancel culture. Just days after saying he’s “not that interested in Oscars,” the actor made it clear that losing public support isn’t on his mind either.
During a video interview with Complex News, Washington and his frequent collaborator Spike Lee were asked if he was concerned about being “canceled.” Washington answered with a question of his own: “What does that mean — to be canceled?”
When interviewer Jillian Hardeman-Webb explained that it means losing public support, Washington shrugged it off. “Who cares?” he said. He added, “What made public support so important to begin with?”
Hardeman-Webb noted that followers are now a kind of currency, but Washington made it clear that isn’t his priority. “I don’t care who’s following who. You can’t lead and follow at the same time, and you can’t follow and lead at the same time. I don’t follow anybody. I follow the heavenly spirit. I follow God, I don’t follow man. I have faith in God. I have hope in man, but look around, it ain’t working out so well.”
He also made a clear statement about cancel culture: “You can’t be canceled if you haven’t signed up. Don’t sign up. Don’t get me started. My chest started hurting. You know, chest is getting tight talking about it.”
Earlier this week, Washington also said he doesn’t act for Oscars. “I don’t care about that kind of stuff,” he told Jake’s Takes. “I’ve been at this a long time, and there’s time when I won and shouldn’t have won and then didn’t win and should’ve won. Man gives the award. God gives the reward. … People ask me, ‘Where do I keep it?’ Well, next to the other one. I’m not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, [Oscars] aren’t going to do me a bit of good.”
Washington’s comments show that he focuses on his faith and personal values rather than public approval or social media trends.
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