Denzel Washington had an intense moment on the Cannes red carpet this week. Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest was recently screened at Cannes, which is showing out of competition at the festival. The movie is a modern retelling of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, with this version chronicling the story of a New York City music mogul who gets caught up in a ransom plot. It is the fifth film collaboration between Lee and Washington, and their first since Inside Man.
Not everything went smoothly during the Highest 2 Lowest premiere, however, as evidenced by a video from the Cannes red carpet. While speaking with director Lee and co-star A$AP Rocky, Washington appears to be interrupted by a photographer who is touching his arm. After the actor told the photographer to stop, he got into an intense exchange with the photographer. This elicited some strong, supportive responses online. Check out some of the reactions below:
Daniel Crespo took issue with The New York Post‘s headline about the story, noting “How about you write the headline correctly, Denzel Washington groped and assaulted by man who laughs after being told to stop.“
Cameron Grigsby echoed this support for Washington, jokingly urging the United States government to “SEND THE TROOPS” to guard him.
Some suggested moments like this to be a trend at Cannes, such as @sweethoneysim, who said “Please, get my people up out of France.”
@AllizayGreene even suggested that the interaction might be the result of a cultural difference, saying “French people are sooo disrespectful when it comes to personal space.”
Vernest “Quick” Brown, Jr. was also uncomfortable with how quickly the photographer violated Washington’s boundaries, noting “I hate that folks feel like they can just touch people.”
@DHPBJ called out the photographer’s reaction, disturbed by “The entitlement, and bro is laughing.”
What This Means For Denzel Washington
Washington Has Audience’s Support
The reactions called out a wide array of disturbing elements here, but the paparazzo’s expression elicited some of the most significant responses. Rather than backing off and respecting Washington’s demands, the person smiled and laughed, perhaps tauntingly, when the actor started to get visibly upset. It was not until Washington actually snapped at him that he seemed to die down.
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As was referenced among the reactions, this speaks to the “entitlement” that paparazzi often feel towards stars. Washington is a venerated actor, but he was not treated with such respect when he was on the Cannes red carpet. Highest 2 Lowest is an important collaboration between Washington and Lee, and the photographer ruined what could have been a great moment to see the stars. For this reason, it makes perfect sense why he would react in the way that he did.
Our Take On The Denzel Washington Red Carpet Moment
It Is Good To See People Defending Stars When It Comes To Personal Boundaries
This moment and the reactions remind me of when Tom Hanks spoke up against some fans a few years ago. When their unruly behavior jostled around his wife, Rita Wilson, he said “my wife. Back the f–k up!” This startled but impressed netizens who know the actor for his warm presence. It is good to see people support Washington in the way they did Hanks, coming to the defense of stars who are under immense pressure and subject to boundary-breaking paparazzi and fans. In particular, these incidents should come as a reminder that even celebrities are humans, so their space should also be respected even in a high-profile setting.
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Denzel Washington
- Birthdate
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December 28, 1954
- Birthplace
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Mount Vernon, New York, USA