Marvel Actor Josh Brolin’s Tense On-Set Moment with Denzel Washington Almost Ended In Violence

Denzel Washington has been on the move lately, promoting “Gladiator II” and supporting his youngest son, Malcolm Washington, in his directorial debut, “The Piano Lesson.”

Naturally, paparazzi and media have been eager to catch up with the Academy Award winning actor during these outings. However, their persistence seems to have revealed a snappier, more irritated side of Washington that many were unaware of. Interestingly, it seems he might occasionally bring that same energy to the set as well.

In a Nov. 20 interview with Graham Bensinger, Marvel actor Josh Brolin, who played Thanos in several “Avengers” films, opened up about a moment where he and Washington almost threw hands on the set of his 2007 film “American Gangster.”

He said, Brian Grazer, one of the producers of the film, was walking around singing “Josh and Russell are amazing” in reference to Brolin and Russell Crowe.

Crowe portrayed a detective named Richie Roberts in “American Gangster,” who was meant to take down the empire of Washington’s character Frank Lucas. Lucas was a real-life American drug lord who trafficked narcotics throughout Harlem from overseas between the 1960s and 1970s.

Denzel Washington, Josh Brolin and Russell Crowe in,
American Gangster (2007) Directed by Ridley Scott pic.twitter.com/5mTSU33xju

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With Grazer’s singing, Brolin said, “I’m sure Denzel got winded,” but he couldn’t tell if Washington was himself or in character. “When I would see Denzel, was he in character? I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m just here.”

Brolin recalls being shocked he was even asked to be in a cast with some of his favorite actors, including Washington and Crowe in “Insider,” which “is one of my favorite all time movies.”

“So I get through moments with Russell and then Denzel. And Denzel showed up. He was a little late to set and it was a whole thing there and then he showed me the lines,” Brolin explained.

Washington told him he was going to change the structure of the lines in a particular scene but while speaking Brolin said Denzel “wouldn’t really look at” him.

“So he’s trying to remember the structure and then we rehearsed. It wasn’t that many lines. And I’m supposed to be super confident. It’s Denzel Washington, man. It’s like, not easy. You’re just this actor who they’re trying out, seeing if he’s the real thing or not. And I forgot a line.”

Brolin’s character played corrupt NYPD Detective Trupo, who would take bribes, money, and product from local drug dealers and exploited Washington’s character throughout the film.

Many recall the infamous scene where Trupo and his cop crew pulled over Frank Lucas and his wife on their wedding day, demanding a hefty payout each month. After Lucas responded by sending a giant turkey and blowing up his expensive sports car at his home, Trupo had Lucas followed and pulled over again to confiscate the drugs in Lucas’ trunk at the time.

Recalling the incident on set with Washington, Brolin said, “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 f—ing put your hand on me.’”

Apparently touching Washington at that moment was a big no no. “And I was like, ‘Holy s—, I’m gonna scrap with Denzel Washington. This is crazy.’ We’re not actors anymore … at least in my mind.”

But looking back Brolin now realizes that Washington may have just been in character. “In his mind, he was just doing his job. He was Frank Lucas, period. But I didn’t know. And then we got through that moment and I said, ‘Are you OK?’ He said, ‘Yeah, you?’ I said ‘Yeah. Can I get my line?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, go for it.’ It’s like he said what he needed to say.”

Brolin explained that the uncomfortable moment with Washington is now water under the bridge, adding, “Denzel and I, by the way, get along very well now.”

In fact, Brolin said the next year, he happened to see “The Equalizer” star at an event and in that moment, he said Washington screamed “Josh!” as he walked over to embrace him.

“American Gangster” is available now on multiple streaming outlets, also starring Ruby Dee, Idris Elba, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Ortiz, RZA, Common, T.I., Joe Morton, Jon Pulito, British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, and many others.