Denzel Washington has revealed he’s still struggling with his speech several months after nearly biting his tongue off. The two-time Oscar winner, 70, explained how the bizarre injury has “affected everything,” particularly as he prepares to return to Broadway in the title role in Othello, opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. Previews for the 15-week run begin February 24.
“I bit my tongue almost half-off a few months ago. It’s affecting my speech. It forces me to slow down. I have to use it,” Washington told The New York Times in a sprawling interview published on February 8.
Washington then pointed to a particular line in the show: “Whither will you that I go to answer this is your charge?”
“It’s hard [to say] because my tongue is swollen,” said the Fences star and director.
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Washington didn’t clarify how he bit his tongue or if he received any medical treatment, but he’s not letting it stop him from giving a great performance — and having fun while doing it. The way he sees it, you’ve just got to “jump in the water and enjoy yourself, instead of worrying about drowning.”
Washington’s starring role in Othello marks his first return to Broadway since appearing in 2018’s revival of The Iceman Cometh. In the nearly seven years since, he’s starred in two Equalizer films, Joel Coen’s film adaptation of Macbeth and the box office hit Gladiator II.
But despite being one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, it’s acting onstage that brings Washington “the greatest joy,” though he admits money has always been at the forefront of his mind when choosing projects.
“I’ve taken every job for money,” he told the Times. “There’s no job I’ve taken where I went: ‘You guys just keep the money. I’m just so glad to be an actor.’”
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News (TNS)
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