MOVIE NEWS – Denzel Washington’s dedication to method acting nearly led to a physical altercation with Josh Brolin during the filming of American Gangster. Renowned for his immersive acting approach inspired by Stanislavski’s Method, Washington stayed in character throughout the shoot. However, Brolin was unaware of this during a tense rehearsal. Reflecting on the incident, Brolin shared: “Denzel and I, by the way, get along very well now,” during an interview with In Depth With Graham Bensinger. He elaborated:

“Yeah, we almost got into a fight […] Denzel was a little late to set, and there was a whole thing there […] I was trying to remember the structure, and then we rehearsed. It wasn’t that many lines, mostly mine. And I’m supposed to be SUPER confident. It’s Denzel Washington, man. It’s, like, not easy. You’re just some actor who they’re trying out, seeing if he’s the real thing or not, and I forgot a line.”

In addition to Washington and Brolin, Ridley Scott’s American Gangster featured a star-studded cast including Russell Crowe, Cuba Gooding Jr., Idris Elba, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. But it was Brolin who had to quickly adapt to Washington’s intense commitment to his role. He continued:

“I put my hand on his shoulder, and I said, ‘What’s the line?’ And he hit my hand off. And he said, ‘Don’t ever fu—ing put your hand on me.’ And I was like, ‘Holy sht, I’m gonna scrap with Denzel Washington. This is crazy.’ We’re not actors anymore — at least in my mind. In his mind, he was just doing his job.*

He was that guy, he was Frank Lucas, period! But I didn’t know. And then we got through that moment. And I said, ‘Are you okay?’ He said, ‘Yeah, you?’ I said, ‘Yeah. Can I get my line?’ He said, ‘Go for it.’ It’s like he’d said what he needed to say.”

Josh Brolin’s Career Flourishes Post-American Gangster

The intense encounter left a lasting impression on Brolin, who later understood that Washington was simply staying true to his Method approach. A year after the incident, Washington greeted him warmly, solidifying their mutual respect. Brolin’s performance as Detective Trupo in American Gangster marked a turning point, paving the way for some of his most notable roles.

In the same year, Brolin starred in the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men, which won four Oscars out of eight nominations. His portrayal of Dan White in Milk (2008) earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Brolin’s career highlights include roles in True Grit, the Sicario films, Deadpool 2, and the Dune saga. However, his portrayal of Thanos in Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame cemented his place as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors.

Refusing to be typecast, Brolin continues to explore diverse roles. He currently stars in the sci-fi series Outer Range and appears alongside Peter Dinklage in the action-comedy Brothers, available on Prime Video. For fans wanting to revisit his early work, American Gangster is streaming on Netflix.

Source: MovieWeb