Denzel Washington talks ‘Equalizer,’ regrets turning down role in ‘Seven’

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Denzel Washington should be the poster child for “things that improve with age.”

Friday, the 59-year-old actor’s latest film, The Equalizer, hit theaters and is already generating Oscar Buzz.

Washington re-teams with Training Day Director Antoine Fuqua, for the film which is based on the 1980’s TV series, The Equalizer, centered around a lethal vigilante seeking revenge.

During an interview with theGrio’s Chris Witherspoon at the Soho Beach House in Miami, Fuqua and Washington talked about their new film and whether or not The Equalizer will become Washington’s first film franchise ever.

In 2001 Fuqua, directed Washington’s performance in Training Day, a role that earned Washington his first lead actor Academy Award.

Fuqua revealed he was a bit intimidated while directing Washington the second time around but said, “It’s a good intimidation, because you know you gotta be on your game.”

A pivotal scene in The Equalizer happens when Washington’s character, Robert McCall, is told “sometimes we make the wrong choices to get to the right places.”

The He Got Game star confessed that one of his biggest mistakes thus far in his career was turning down the lead role in the 1995 thriller Seven.

“I turned down the movie Seven. That was a mistake,” Washington said. “I just didn’t think anybody was going to see it. I don’t know what I made instead, I can’t remember, but I turned [Seven] down. I guess Brad Pitt is happy about that.”

There’s been lots of speculation that The Equalizer could become Washington’s first film franchise, but the Inside Man star says that moviegoers hold the fate of The Equalizer franchise in their hands.

“People have talked about it. Even today. I remember talking with the studio, and I’m like, ‘let’s make one good one.’ We don’t wanna say, well we’ll get em’ next time. We want them wanting the next one,” Washington said. “So we did everything we could to hopefully make that happen.”

Throughout his film career spanning several decades, Washington’s received six Academy Award nominations, winning twice — in 1989 for Glory and later for Training Day. If another Oscar nomination comes his way for The Equalizer, Washington says he’d be honored.

“Obviously, it’s a great honor,” said Washington. “Yes, I do get excited.”

Follow theGrio.com’s Entertainment Editor Chris Witherspoon on Twitter @WitherspoonC.